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“You were in the military?”She grabbed at Wyatt’s feet, causing him to giggle.
“Army, right out of high school.Sometimes I wonder if I would have gone to college with her, if things would’ve turned out differently, but I doubt it.Eventually, she was always going to discover she wanted more out of life.”That took a depressing turn.
“But then you wouldn’t have this adorable little guy,” she grabbed Wyatt’s feet again, this time holding him in place for a minute before letting him swish back toward me.
“Yeah.An unexpected bright spot in a sea of poor decisions.”
“Down!”Wyatt demanded.
“Down, what?”Candace prodded.
“Down, pwease,” he rephrased.She nodded and stopped the swing, pulling him out and setting him on the ground.The kid took off like a rocket, running toward nothing in particular.
“Are you sure he’s going to tire out?”I asked her skeptically.He looked more energetic than he did when we brought him down.
“I’m sure.Five more minutes out here and then we make him walk up the stairs.He’ll pass out before we get to the door,” she predicted.
Wyatt let out a squeal of delight, grabbing something off the ground.“Dis my wok!”he said, proudly showing us the marble-sized rock.
We oohed and ahhed appropriately and he ran off.“Catherine told me he has a complete collection of acorns in his room.For every acorn she hauls back outside, he brings in five more.When I was packing him up to come down here, I saw them in every nook and cranny.”
“Yeah, I pull rocks out of his pockets every afternoon.”
Wyatt slowed a bit and Candace announced it was time to go upstairs.Four floors were a lot of steps for his tiny legs, and by the second floor he wanted to be carried.By the time we hit our door I noticed he was snoring on my shoulder.
I gave Candace a conspiratorial smile as I brought him straight to his room, sliding off his shoes and jacket.
“That was magic,” I said to her once I shut Wyatt’s door.“I feel like this is something I should know already.”Once again, she had the answers when I didn’t. It made me feel like shit.
“Don’t beat yourself up.I spent my whole life around little kids.I doubt you can say the same.”She went to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water before bringing it back to the couch.
“Not really.I spent most of my time with adults.The only kids we hung out with were Catherine and Eleanor.”
“We?Do you have siblings?”
“A younger brother.”I sat on the chair.
She raised an eyebrow, “How much younger?”
“Three years.”
She nodded.“So, you and Eleanor were like, childhood friends to lovers, huh?”
“She was my first everything.First friend.First girlfriend.Kiss, date, love.Wife.”All by design.Sometimes it felt like a choice we were making, but the older I got, and the longer we were apart, the more I wondered if it was ever real.I cared about Eleanor, always would.But did I love her because I had to, or because I did?Doesn’t matter.She loves someone else.
“So, you have a boyfriend back home?”I changed the focus to her.
“Eh.I have a guy I hook up with.The kind my parents wish I wouldn’t hang out with, you know?They aren’t the kind of parents to forbid me to date someone, but my mom has said, ‘Make good choices,’ every time someone mentions Derek's name.”She rolled her eyes.
My parents didn’t care who I fucked as long as no-one found out.But I knew my whole life Eleanor was going to be my wife because they said so.The choices weren’t really mine.“Do you have a good relationship with your parents?”
“Yeah.I guess.As much as anyone my age would, you know?My mom wishes I’d either get an advanced degree or a ‘real job,’” she made air quotes, “but she doesn’t nag me.She made me take this job though.”
“Oof.Sorry.Hopefully, it hasn’t been too bad.I can look for someone —”
“No,” she interrupted.“It’s fine.I love spending time with Wyatt.”
Chapter9
