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“There is nothing to celebrate really,” he said. “It’s nice to know I don’t have to explain the last name difference anymore.”
“He’s always been your son,” she said.
“I hate to think I might never have known about him. Sometimes it keeps me up at night.”
“Don’t let it,” she said. “It didn’t happen. Things happen for a reason in life. I’ve always believed that and you know it.”
“Again, you looking for the positive in every situation. I know, I know. Life is easier that way.”
She laughed. “Let’s get a move on. My mother is excited to meet Max.”
They got in his car after she locked up the daycare center and drove to Zara’s parents’ house. He remembered where it was. He’d been here enough in his life.
He’d known Zara since kindergarten. They’d been friends loosely. The way younger kids are friends and everyone gets included.
As he got older though, he started to feel more for her and kept it to himself.
By the time they hit their senior year of high school, he’d worked up the courage to ask her out. She’d laughed and said it was about time he did it.
He’d never known what she meant and never thought to ask.
“It doesn’t seem as if this house changed,” he said when he parked in the driveway.
“The inside did. My father has done some work on it over the years after he retired. Zane has too. Just updating things for my mother more than anything.”
They got out of the car, Zara getting Max since he was behind her seat again like he normally had his son. He’d only put the car seat behind his seat for the long drive so that Zara could deal with anything. He found he liked it better being able to see Max himself.
The front door opened before they could get to it and Liz Wolfe was standing there with a massive grin on her face. She looked like she hadn’t aged much. He wondered if he should start with that and then realized that might sound desperate.
He was feeling that though. He wasn’t sure he’d felt desperation in his life in a long time. Not even when Max showed up out of the blue.
He knew back then he could figure it out and he was. This thing with Zara, though, he didn’t have as much control as he wished he did.
“Look at that sweet baby,” Liz said. “Aren’t you just a doll? Will he let me hold him?”
Max dropped his head onto Zara’s shoulder. “Why don’t we let him warm up to being here. He’s a little shy with strangers at first.”
“Hello, Ren,” Liz said. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“You too,” he said. “Tony.” He nodded his head to the man standing a few feet back and watching the show.
“Ren,” Tony said.
“Dad,” Zara said, moving forward to hug her father. “Behave.”
“We’ll see,” Tony said.
“Come in,” Liz said. “Can we get you a drink, Ren? A beer, some wine? Zara likes her wine.”
“Not that much,” she said, laughing.
“I haven’t seen her drink more than a glass here or there,” he said. And that was when they were out to eat.
“Do we need to do anything for Max?” Liz asked. “I’ve got some of Willow’s toys here. Her old high chair that we pulled out too.”
“Thanks,” Ren said. “I’m sure he’ll enjoy the toys. He gets into everything and is crawling all over the place. He doesn’t like to stay still in one spot if he can move.”
“But he won’t move here,” Zara said. “Just like at the daycare for the first few days. He’ll find a comfortable spot and only want that.”
