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She hugged me tightly around the waist, and I had to fight back the tears as I squeezed her back.
Piper pulled back and smiled up at me. “Where’s Mr. Lincoln?”
I forced a smile, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “He had to do some things around the farm,” I lied. I didn’t want her to worry about our problems.
I followed Piper to the booth, and we sat across from Emily and Tim. “Hi,” I greeted.
They both gave me sympathetic smiles as the waitress came to our table. She took our order, then rushed off to another table.
“So when do you leave?” Emily asked.
I glanced at Piper, who was occupied with a game on her tablet. “My flight is this afternoon at 4:40pm.”
Tim nodded. “What are your plans now?”
The million-dollar question.
I shrugged, shielding my emotions and acting like I wasn’t falling apart inside. “Go back to life as usual, I guess.” I sighed, wishing things were different. “I would like to keep seeing Piper. I’m not sure what Lincoln’s plans are, but I’d like to set up some kind of schedule.”
Emily grinned. “Of course. What were you thinking?”
“Maybe every other weekend. I’ll take whatever you’ll give me.”
Tim and Emily looked at each other, speaking without words for a few seconds before Tim responded, “I think we can do that.”
A real smile spread over my lips, and I released a breath of relief. “Thank you. This means everything to me.”
The waitress brought us coffee and some orange juice for Piper. “Are you going somewhere, Momma Liv?”
My stomach knotted as I turned to my daughter. I took her hands in mine. “I’m going back to Charlotte today, but I’m going to come back and visit every other weekend, okay?”
Piper’s face fell, but she nodded. “Will I still see Mr. Lincoln, too?”
I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. “I’m sure you will. But that’s something he’ll have to discuss with your parents.”
She looked down, avoiding my gaze. I hated myself for hurting her and putting her in the middle of the situation we were in. I tipped her chin up, bringing her eyes back up to mine. “Hey. Don’t be sad. Everything will be okay.”
“Okay.”
She didn’t seem to fully believe me, and I couldn’t blame her. I barely believed it myself. But I’d prove it to her. I would be in her life as long as she wanted me to be.
When our food came, I barely ate. I didn’t have an appetite and opted for pushing the food around my plate instead.
After paying, we walked outside together. Emily hugged me. “Call us if you need anything.”
“I will.”
She pulled back, and Tim took her place. “Have a safe flight.”
“Thank you.”
I turned toward my daughter. She was focused on the ground, kicking at the gravel.
“I have to go now, sweetie. But I’ll be back in two weeks, and you can Skype me with your tablet whenever you want.”
She didn’t respond or look up at me. I feared she wasn’t going to tell me goodbye, then all of a sudden, she threw her arms around me and started crying.
Worst mother ever.
