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When I stepped in through Taylor’s front door, Ron threw himself at me, and I nearly fell backward. With a smile, I hoisted him up and carried him into the kitchen, where Taylor and her parents were already seated around the rectangular-shaped table.
Conversation rose and fell around me during dinner while I picked at my plate.
Once we were done, Taylor and I washed the dishes while her parents played with Ron. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him giggle and laugh, and it made some of the knots in my stomach unfurl. Ron came to me as I was putting the last of the dishes away, and I carried him to bed.
Taylor was waiting with a glass of wine when I came back out. “I take it the interview didn’t go well.”
“They weren’t happy when I told them I had a son.”
Taylor grimaced and led me into the living room. I sat down, and she did the same, pausing to take a few sips of her wine. “I don’t get what their issue is. You’re a hard worker, regardless.”
I shrugged and took a long sip. “I don’t know.”
Taylor leaned back against the pillows and patted my back. “Tomorrow will be better; you’ll see.”
The next morning, I almost slept through the alarm. It was the sound of Taylor’s loud voice through the thin walls that got me up. In a daze, I set Ron down in the shower and raced around the room, half-blind and with my hair in tufts on top of my head. After helping him get dressed, I set a bowl of cereal down andwaved at Taylor. She took her coffee cup and pulled out the chair opposite him.
I gave her a grateful smile before hurrying back into our room.
After a quick shower, I dragged a comb through my hair and changed into a pair of jeans and a shirt. Ron stood by the door, in his backpack and shoes, and his phone in his hands. Taylor handed me a travel mug with coffee and a brown paper bag.
“Have a great first day of kindergarten, buddy.” Taylor pulled the phone away from her ear and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I hope you make a lot of new friends.”
Ron buried his face against her stomach and wrapped both arms around her waist. “You’ll always be my favorite friend, Aunty Tay.”
Taylor patted his head. “I better be.”
With one last smile, she gave me a hug before disappearing inside. I ushered Ron out of the house and onto the front porch. We walked in the direction of the bus stop, with Ron growing more and more animated with each step. On the bus, he pressed his face to the glass and pointed out everything as we whizzed past. A few stops later, I took his hand and led him off the bus and onto the street.
In the distance, a large brick building with iron gates around it loomed. Once we reached it, I stopped and crouched in front of him. He stared up at me and curled his hands into fists.
“I know you’re nervous, but you’re going to do great. You’re going to make lots of new friends, and you’re going to love it here.”
Ron tilted his head to the side. “Can’t you come with me, mommy?”
I hoisted my purse up and cleared my throat. “I wish I could, buddy, but kindergarten isn’t for adults.”
Ron paused, then nodded. I took his hand in mine, heart pounding against my chest. At the gate, he released my hand and took off like a bullet when they called his name. I took a few steps back and watched through the iron bars as he bounced from one foot to the other.
He was growing up so fast.
Too fast.
And now and again, I thought I saw glimpses of his father. Although I knew next to nothing about Bernard and hadn’t been able to find him, although we lived in the same city, I liked that I carried a little part of him with me everywhere I went.
Bernard would’ve loved Ron.
It was a shame he wasn’t a part of his life.
I wiped away the tears from my eyes when I heard my phone ring.
“Hello?”
“Yes, hello. Is this Ms. Rachel Booth?”
“Speaking.”
“Ms. Booth, I’m calling regarding the position you applied for. I wanted to call and tell you that you’ve been accepted, but you’ll need to start right away. Before you begin, I’ll need you to comein for an interview, so I can explain how things will go. When is a good time?”
