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“Mommy.” Ron materialized in front of me and tilted his head back to look up at me. “Who are you talking to?”
“I’m talking to your Aunt Tay. Do you want to say hi?”
Ron frowned and shook his head. “I was hoping you were going to say you were talking to Bernard. I miss him.”
“I’m sure he’s going to call us later, baby.” I knelt down in front of him and pulled him in for a hug. “And he’ll be back soon.”
“Is he going to come here?”
“No, it’s our vacation, remember?”
Ron nodded and pulled away. “Okay, can I go watch some more TV?”
I stood up and cleared my throat. “Of course, you can.”
Once he was settled on the couch, I ruffled his hair and went back inside. I lingered in the doorway to the master bedroom and leaned against the wall. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do about Ron, Tay.”
“What do you mean? I thought you said he was handling it well.”
“He seemed like he was, but I’m not sure. He hasn’t seen Bernard in a week, and I think he’s starting to get anxious.”
“You should keep him distracted. You’ve got the beach, and the market, so it should help.”
I sighed and stepped into the room. “I wish you were here with us.”
“I’m sorry I can’t take the time off of work. I wish I could be there too. Are you sure everything is okay up there?”
“I’m sure,” I replied, pausing to push the curtains open. “It’s been a while since your parents have been here, huh?”
“I can call the cleaning crew in the morning. I know how much you enjoy cleaning, but you’re there to relax.”
“Thanks, Tay, but I need the distraction. Cleaning the house gives me something to do.”
Considering I’d spent the past five years hoping for a second chance, I hadn’t expected it to be over so quickly. For years, I’d imagined what it would be like to have Bernard in my life and in Ron’s. Now that I finally knew what it was like to have him there, through my days and nights, I had no idea how to let him go.
I had gotten used to breakfasts where we giggled while half-asleep.
I missed dinners where we listened to Ron tell stories and held hands under the table.
And I missed our few stolen moments where Bernard made me feel like I was the only woman in the world—getting over him after one night had been hard enough. Forgetting about the last few months seemed impossible, and I didn’t have the first clue where to start.
Nor was I sure I wanted to.
I had half a mind to turn around and go back to the city and wait outside Bernard’s apartment until he got back. Unfortunately, with Ron in the mix, I knew it wasn’t the best idea. Since he was already attached to Bernard, the last thing I wanted was for Ron to begin to picture the two of us as a couple.
Because we obviously weren’t.
Bernard and I had no future, no matter how badly I wished otherwise.
Ron appeared next to me and tugged on my arm. “Mommy, I want to see the stars at night.”
I tucked Ron into my side and placed a kiss on top of his head. “And that’s my cue to go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Of course. Give Ron a hug for me, will you? I’ll see you both soon.”
After she hung up, I pulled the phone away from my ear and tucked it into my pocket. Then I steered Ron in the direction of our room. We retrieved our coats before I pushed the balcony door open and took the stairs that led directly onto the beach. There, I draped a blanket over the sand and held Ron to me.
I couldn’t stop wishing Bernard was there with us.
