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I shrug. “Can’t help it.”
“I know,” she says.
Mimi glances between the two of us and then asks me, “Do you want to help me with my puzzle?”
“Puzzle?”
“Yeah. It’s five hundred pieces. Sasha said I could have it when I finished eating.”
Ava shakes her head. “Sweetie, I don’t think he can do that. You know Mr. Maddox is very busy—“
“Sure,” I interrupt, and the girl squeaks excitedly before gesturing to the scattered pieces on the floor. She sits down cross-legged and I join her.
Ava frowns as she stares between the two of us. And then she shrugs and turns to the stairs.
“Knock yourself out,” she says. “I’m going to shower.”
I know her play. She probably expects me to be gone by the time she gets back, but I plan to be here for some time.
“Do you enjoy puzzles?” I ask.
She nods. “Yes, they’re my favorite thing to do.”
“They used to be my favorite too,” I tell her.
“Really?”
I nod. That and playing chess were how I passed a lot of lonely time in childhood.
“Then it means you’re pretty good,” she says.
“I think so,” I respond. “But I’m good at a lot of things.” I glance up at her mother when I say it and she rolls her eyes.
Mimi nods solemnly. “Me too.” And then turns her attention back to the puzzle.
We continue working in silence, interrupted by brief moments when I ask her about school. She talks easily as we work. Surprisingly, it’s not as awkward as I thought it would be. Mimi tells me a lot of random facts about slugs and dinosaurs, while searching for the right pieces. She’s especially excited when we finish in a couple of hours.
“We did that so fast,” she announces.
“Yeah, but that’s mostly on you,” I tell her smiling. “I’m rusty after all these years.”
“I have another one that’s a thousand pieces. Mom says I can’t do it on my own just yet, because I won’t be able to finish in time for bed. But maybe with you I can.”
Ava who has been on the couch watching us and the TV frowns. “It might take a while to finish that. You’re going to be here forever.”
I shrug and say, “Then let it take forever.”
She gives me a doubtful look. “Won’t you be bored?”
“Nope,” I say, and surprisingly, I mean it.
***
Mimi and our puzzle dates become a frequent fixture of my life.
So is picking flowers for her mother.
I make it a point to stop by Ava’s desk as often as I can at work and it’s becoming routine for me to drive over to her house after work too. She’s surprised at first, and resistant to it. I can tell she’s still doubtful about our relationship, no matter how many I love you notes I leave on her desk. She’s guarded but I’m not worried.
