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“Hey, sweetie. Are you having fun with your grandparents?”
“Yeah. Grandma made cookies earlier and let me play computer games.”
I laughed.
“Where are you?” he asked.
“I’m stuck in the mountains for a few days with some car trouble. You’re gonna stay with Grandma and Grandpa until I can get back, okay? Grandma will take you back to the house to get anything you need for school.”
“Okay, Mom,” Eli said brightly. “I love you and I’ll see you when you get home.”
“I love you, too, bud. Be good for Grandma and Grandpa.”
Eli handed the phone back to my mom, and after talking about some of the logistics for school and activities for the rest of the week, we hung up. I sat on the bed and stared down at the dark phone, fighting back the tears.
I had no idea how much time passed by when I heard a light tap on the ajar door. Jack gently pushed it open.
“I called the local auto shop to get a tow truck to take your car into town. They can’t get here tonight with the storm, but said they’ll try to get up here first thing in the morning. I know them well, so they’ll do everything they can to get your car up and running as quickly as possible.”
All I could do was nod in response.
“Anyway, why don’t you take a shower or a bath? The warm water might soothe any soreness. I’ve got a pot of soup on the stove if you're hungry.”
I nodded, grateful for his kindness.
As I stood under the hot water, I felt my body relax. The tension in my muscles melted away, and I felt more at ease. I toweled off and pulled on the warm, soft leggings I had brought with me. They felt so cozy and paired perfectly with my sweatshirt.
I felt a little better as I emerged from my room. I stuttered to a stop when I saw Jack waiting for me in the living room, two bowls of soup on the coffee table. Something about this scene made my entire chest tighten. Years ago, I thought this would be my life. Me and Jack.
And now…
Well, now we were practically strangers. Sure, we knew who we used to be, but I had no idea who Jack was today.
“Thanks,” I said as I sat on the couch with the soup.
"Yeah, you're welcome." Jack creaked out his words as he settled into the sofa. "I thought it would be more comfortable in here than in the dining room. I love watching the fire.”
We sat in silence for a few minutes, eating soup side by side. I felt a strange comfort in his presence.
“I’m sorry for all of this. I should have paid more attention to the weather and been more careful driving. I should have listened to you.”
Jack shook his head.
“It’s okay. These things happen. It’s not your fault. Anyway, it’s not every day that I get to host a beautiful woman in my cabin.”
Jack winked at me, and my jaw practically hit the floor. It was the first playful moment we’d had since seeing each other today. But we used to have a million of these moments.
I felt the blush spread across my cheeks.
“Well, thank you,” I said, voice a little shaky, suddenly feeling a little shy.
“So, tell me about your son.”
My heart stopped beating at the vague mention of Eli. I almost forgot that I had mentioned my son to Jack earlier when I needed to try calling my parents and arranging childcare.
“Oh, um. Well, he’s…” I tried grasping for vague things I could tell Jack about Eli. I figured if I kept talking, he wouldn’t ask about things like his specific age. “Eli is amazing. He’s very smart, and kind, and the sweetest little boy. He loves baseball and hiking and begs me for a dog every day.”
I squirmed in my seat, taking a bite of a cracker. Even before we started dating, Jack had been a good friend of mine. I had always been able to trust him with just about anything. But now, I felt uncomfortable and exposed. I had kept my son a secret for so long, and now that Jack was asking about him, it felt like my whole world was being pushed to the brink.
