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“It’s kinda nice entering through the kitchen,” Eric said quietly. “When I was a boy growing up, my grandmother’s home entered through the kitchen, and it was massive. We spent most of our time in there sitting around the table talking.”
“My kitchen isn’t very big because the entire place is small, but I really liked the area… and the gardens.”
“Uh oh,” he said playfully. “Trigger, remember?”
“I don’t think she’s going to harm anything,” Madison smiled. “I said that the gardenswerethere – I never claimed they looked good or were a sight to see.”
Eric laughed again easily, almost as if he was relaxing around her as well.
“This is Max’s room, the bathroom, and you’ll be here at the back of the house. The couch is actually a pull-out bed, so it should work nicely for you this evening, and you’ll have some privacy.”
Eric set his bag down with a small thump on the wooden floors, and moved to peek out the back door to check on Trigger.
“I’m going to put Max in his playpen for a few minutes, so I can start his bath and make his dinner. Go ahead and check on Trigger. I’ll be right back.”
She didn’t wait for him to say anything and set Max down in the playpen, who immediately began fussing. It had been a long day for him as well, and he usually went to bed around eight. He was safe in his playpen, had his toys, but just wanted to be picked up or entertained.
Moving to the bathroom, she sat down on the edge of the tub and started Max’s bath… and took a moment for herself to regroup.
Married.
Shemarriedher pen pal – a man she barely knew.
Putting her head down in her hands, she hesitated and looked at the wedding ring once more. The pale-yellow stone was exceedingly beautiful, and looked the part of an engagement ring. It didn’t quite fit right against the gold band, but somehow that seemed perfect too.
Their friendship wasn’t quite what a normal one was, yet they were going to try to make it work. It was so sweet of Eric to have gone out of his way to get wedding rings for them, especially when she wasn’t anticipating it.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath in, and thought about that single kiss once more. They probably should have skipped that so she wasn’t so focused on him as a man, but instead more like a friend… a person that would be easy to distance herself from when the time came.
Madison hesitated… and shut off the water.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
Getting up, she opened the bathroom door and walked out into the hallway to go check on Max… only to see him not in the playpen – nor did she see Eric.
“Max? Eric?” she called out, and spotted a shadow walking past the back door. Pulling back the sheers that helped filter the light on the pane of glass on the back door, she turned the knob and opened it.
Eric had Max with him.
Her son was sitting on Eric’s shoulders, holding his hands, as Eric kicked a ball towards Trigger. Every time Trigger leaped on the ball or knocked it forward, Max was giggling hysterically and smiling… and Eric was, too.
“C’mon Max… let’s get her,” Eric was whispering playfully, before kicking the ball. “Trigger… go get it!”
… And another peal of giggles poured from Max.
“Oh yeah?” Eric said easily, picking up the boy from his shoulders and blowing raspberries on his tummy. “Let’s get Trigger, eh, Max…”
She watched as Eric put Max on his hip, before jogging after the dog… jostling the two of them as they bounced and jumped around.
“Gog…” Max began, and she marveled as Eric grinned proudly.
“Yep. Dog. Trigger is a doggie. Say it with me, d-ohh-gaaa… dog.”
Max looked at Eric with wide-eyed fascination, his lips moving as he watched him, only for her to see Eric take his hand and put it on his lips.
“Say it with me, Max. D-d-d-ohhhh-guh. Dog. Dog.”
