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“Can we eat now? I want pizza and French fries.”
“Yeah, we can do that.”
Gracie slipped her little hand in mine before peeking up at Jaah. “You can have pizza too. It’s the big ones with lots of cheese and the fries are like circles.”
“That sounds good but I think that’s up to your mother.”
His eyes met mine while Gracie sang her request below us. “Mommy, can he have pizza with us?”
“Yeah baby. If he wants to.”
Ignoring the last part, Grace took possession of Jaah’s hand that wasn’t holding her painting, tugging us both while skipping happily between us, like this was any other day and it felt…
Good.
Natural.
At one of the food vendors, I ordered, Jaah paid, and then we found a spot at a picnic table where we ate.
Gracie talked his head off with animated stories filled with a child’s laugher for things that weren’t exactly funny while she told her version what our life was like.
Jaah entertained her the entire time, seemingly hanging on every word like each detail was the most important thing in the world to him.
And in that moment I felt like it was. The way he effortlessly interacted with Gracie had that uneasy feeling sweeping in the pit of my stomach because my baby didn’t have this. Not in the way she should.
With her father.
“People eat all kind of crazy things, Gracie, like snails and frog legs and they pay a lot of money for it too.”
“No they don’t. You’re not ’posed to eat frogs and snails.”
“Well they do.”
“No they don’t. Mommy, do people really eat frogs and snails?”
“Some do but it’s considered a treat.”
“That’s not a treat. Ice cream and candy are treats.” Gracie frowned, lifting up on her knees to reach for a napkin that Jaah handed over when her little arms were too short to get one.
She scrubbed her face before balling it up and tossing the crumpled paper into an empty plate.
“Can I go play over there now? I ate all my food.” Her hands rubbed her belly which was sticking out a little more thanks to the two slices and basket of fries she shared with me.
“Just for a little while and then you can do a few more things before we head home.”
“Okay.” She was on her feet and running toward the massive jungle gym before I could change my mind.
I watched until she was safely on the playground, joining the other kids, and then I watched Jaah watching her.
The smile on his face was priceless like he understood that she was the best thing in the world. All the good things that life should promise were all wrapped up in her sweet little smile.
“You sure you don’t have kids? You’re good with her.”
“She makes it easy. She’s a good kid.”
Those stormy brown eyes found mine, seemingly looking through me. I shifted uncomfortably before saying, “Gracie’s never met a stranger. She loves people. That kid has so much light in her that it’s almost impossible to feel darkness when she’s around.”
“She gets that from you.”
