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Frenchie tried briefly to catch a couple, but soon gave up and lay down under the bench Milo was sitting on. Caleb returned to the bench a few minutes later and sat next to Milo.
“Do you need a little rest?” Caleb nodded. “Chasing ducks will do that. Just ask Frenchie.”
Caleb giggled, then took Milo’s hand. “Are you my dad?”
The question hit like a blow to the chest, and Milo sucked in a breath. “Um…no, Caleb. I’m not.”
Caleb leaned back and swung his legs. “How come I don’t have a dad?”
“You had a dad, Caleb.” Milo had spent a lot of time thinking about what his first real conversation with Caleb would be. But this wasn’t even on the list.
“But he’s gone?”
“Yeah.”
Caleb leaned against Milo’s shoulder. “Do you want to be my dad?”
“I’d love to be your dad, honey. But it’s kind of up to your mother.”
“Why?”
“If she asks me, I will accept.”
“I’ll talk to her.”
Milo stopped himself from telling Caleb not to ask his mother. It was a fair question, and Caleb had a right to an answer.
Caleb slid off the bench. “I’m going to go chase ducks some more.”
“Okay. You do that.”
Rudy’s was a quiet bar attached to an upscale restaurant. At least it was upscale by Bridgeport standards. Wilda and Rachel sat at a table in the corner and were the only two people in the bar.
They’d both ordered frozen daiquiris, and Wilda took a sip. “I can’t remember the last time I did something like this.”
“It may seem like, as a single woman, I do it all the time, but I don’t.”
“You’re not dating anyone?”
“No. I recently broke up with someone.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I broke up with him. I dragged it out much longer than I should’ve. So, yeah, single once more.”
“Do you have any real interest in Luke?”
“Oh my gosh, no. I could never date someone I babysat. Luke is like my baby brother. I know that’s weird, because he’s always had a crush.”
Wilda swirled the straw through her drink. “I’m assuming Milo told you we had a little…hiccup this morning.”
“He didn’t say what. I just knew something was up. Do you want to talk about it?”
“That’s why we’re here, right?”
“Yes and no. It can just be a girl’s night out if you don’t feel like talking.”
“It’s silly, really. Well, not silly, but I think it hit me harder than it should have. It’s only natural for him to assume…”
