The Path To Us: A Single Parent Romance

by Jennifer Van Wyk

  “Of course I did.” He looks up at me and explains, “My late wife always made the best lemonade and lucky for me, she tasked me with helping her make it enough times that I remembered how to make it. Lemonade, lemon-lime soda, and a little bit of orange juice. It’s not complicated but it’s delicious.”

  “Sounds like it.”

  I follow him to the house and Zoey and I take a seat on the porch at his command while he gathers us drinks. Like he suspected, I have questions but I’m not about to ask Zoey. She wouldn’t have a clue as to why I’m sitting here wondering if I got played and if I did, by who.

  I guess one question of mine is answered, though. Now I know why Addy acted the way she did when I brought up the Noosma farmhouse. I found it odd that she seemed to clam up about it, but I didn’t think to ask why.

  “Isn’t she perfect, Unca Beau?” Zoey asks, nuzzling the kitty and cuddling up next to me. I wrap an arm around her and pet the little fur ball that’s purring like crazy in its new owner’s arms.

  “She is. You like her?”

  She shakes her head. “I wuv her. Can I keep her?”

  “What if I said we can keep her here?”

  “But I don’t wiv here and I need to see her every day!”

  “Maybe we can work something out,” I tell her, hoping that whatever Richard’s about to tell me will ease what’s building internally. The ball of worry and unease that has the potential to ruin everything if I don’t tamp it down.

  “But she’ll miss me, Unca Beau!”

  Luckily I’m saved by Richard pushing backward through the screen door, carrying a tray with three glasses of lemonade and a bowl of Oreos. I take it from him and set it on the small table next to the chairs.

  “Thank you.”

  “Sure thing. Here you go, Squirt.” I hand the smallest glass to Zoey and she grins, taking a big sip.

  “Mmm. It’s so good, Pop.”

  “Glad you like it.”

  She hands it back to me so that she can get down on the ground and play with Cheese.

  I take a long drink as well and hand Zoey an Oreo. “She’s right. It’s delicious.”

  “I’ll make sure Addy knows how to make it.”

  I close my eyes. “I don’t understand.”

  “’Bout fifteen years ago, my lady’d been gone for a while. My son lived in Seattle. And I was here alone. Not just alone. Lonely. The terrible kind that makes you not just sad but depressed, too. I never really liked being around people much. Suppose I needed to get over it, but I was the way I was, you know?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Anyway, I was sitting around on a Sunday afternoon, relaxing in my easy chair and watching some old John Wayne movie I had on tape when these two crazy gals pulled into my driveway. I peeked out the window to see them looking around and, man,” he chuckles at the memory, “even from inside the house I could tell they were completely lost.”

  “Addy?”

  “And Suzie.”

  I grow quiet and sit back. I knew that Addy and Suzie would take drives often but it was their time. She never spoke of where they went or, apparently, who they met.

  “Addy and Suzie came here?”

  He nods. “Stared right where you’re sitting and smiled so big. I went out to greet them and within ten seconds, I’d forgotten all about being lonely. They had that kind of power, you know? To make a man forget his troubles.”

  He’s absolutely right about that.

  They did.

  “Those two… they brought light. We sat here and drank lemonade and ate these terrible cookies I picked up from the store and laughed for a long while before I gave them directions how to get back to town. And ever since that day, once a month, I get to spend a few hours of my Sunday with Addy and now with Zoey.”

  “How did I not know this?”

  “She was embarrassed to be seen with me,” he says.

  I blanch at his words. There’s no way. That’s not the Addy I know and love.

  He starts laughing. “You should see the look on your face. Of course that wasn’t the reason. I honestly don’t really know. The three of us fell into a friendship that wasn’t about anything at all but enjoying each other’s company. Sure, there were a few times that they invited me to join them for things at their house and I always accepted. The second Thanksgiving after we met I spent at their house eating turkey and playing cards.” He leans over on his knees and takes a drink of his lemonade before lowering his voice. “And when Suzie got sick, I was there. In the background whenever they needed me. She was like a daughter to me. I never had a daughter. My boy was grown and moved away. You know they didn’t have much for family around. It worked.”

  “I just…” I look out around me trying to picture the three of them sitting here doing the same thing Zoey and I are doing right now. “I had no idea.”

  “You didn’t need to know.”

  “So… the house?”

  “I want it to stay in the family,” he says.

  My jaw drops and I rub my forehead then the bridge of my nose, squeezing my eyes closed.

  “I’m sorry. What? Is Addy your daughter?”

  “Boy. You’re not listening to a word I’m saying.”

  “Old man. You’re not saying a whole lot of words that are making much sense to me right now.”

  Macaroni and Richard’s dog come bounding up the steps, both panting and soaking wet, Macaroni smelling worse than Zoey’s breath this morning.

  “Eww! Macaroni! Nugget! You stink!” Zoey shouts, pinching her nose and grabbing Cheese before running behind me.

  “These two must have gotten into the pond to cool off then rolled in something.”

  “I’ll say.” I look at Macaroni and wonder how he’ll do riding in the back of the pickup because there’s no way I’m letting him in the cab to bring him home.

  “We can wash them up before you leave. And Macaroni does just fine in the back,” he tells me, somehow reading my mind.

  “Nugget, huh?” I ask, pointing to Richard’s dog.

  He shrugs. “Take a guess who named him.”

  Why am I not surprised? Zoey obviously has Richard wrapped around her little finger.

  “Back to why you called me about the house.”

  “Told you Suzie was like a daughter to me.”

  “So why not…”

  “Why not, what? You think I’m crazy, I can see it, but Addy’s my family in every sense of the word. For fifteen years, she’s given me a reason to not be so lonely. When this one came into the mix,” he says, nodding at Zoey, “and Addy asked if I’d be Zoey’s Pop, I felt like I’d been given a second family. Nothing in this life matters more than that, Beau. Nothing.”

  I sit quietly, still not understanding but not knowing exactly how to ask again without looking like an idiot.

  “C’mere, Zoey. Come sit on Pop’s lap.”

  She stands from her place on the ground and climbs up onto his lap, still holding the kitten.

  “What is it that I asked of you when you first agreed to buy this house?”

  “To keep it a home.”

  “And what did I say would make it a home?”

  “Bring her here. That’s all you said.”

  He notices the second the lightbulb finally goes off in my big dumb brain.

  “Bring her here. That’s how you’ll make it a home.”

  I stand up quickly and begin pacing the deck.

  When I look at Richard and Zoey, they’re not paying me any attention. They’re invested in each other. Laughing and smiling. He’s her Pop.

  Bring her here.

  Make it a home.

  “You knew about me,” I say quietly, leaning over the porch railing and looking out.

  “I did.”

  “And you want the house to stay in the family.”

  “I do. Addy and I are close. We share things. Important things.”

  “And that means you think I’m going to bring your family here to live.”

/>   “I don’t think that. I know that.”

  I turn around and face him. He doesn’t look smug or proud. He also doesn’t look nervous. The expression on his face could only come from a deep contentment and happiness.

  “You know that I’m going to bring Addy and Zoey here to live with me and we’ll keep this house in your family because you think of Addy as your granddaughter and Zoey, too.”

  “By George I think he’s got it, Zoey!” he cheers, making her giggle.

  “You’re silly, Pop.”

  “I am. But I’m also right. And your uncle Beau here is just learning that about me.”

  “Pop’s always right, Unca Beau,” Zoey says authoritatively.

  “I’m figuring that out,” I murmur.

  “You gonna make this house a happy home, Beau? For our girls?”

  Without hesitation, I promise him, “Yes. I am.”

  “Good. That brings me peace.”

  “I’m a little blown away right now.”

  “Figured you would be. Knew Addy didn’t tell you anything about me or the house. She called me the other day, yelled at me for not telling her I was selling the house and I told her she needed to trust me that I knew what I was doing. Made her promise not to say anything to you because I needed to explain my reasoning to you.”

  “Reasoning?”

  “Why I called you and asked if you wanted to come look at the house.”

  He sets Zoey down. “Hey, Zoey. Why don’t you go see the rest of the kittens? They’re in a box right inside the barn door.”

  I start to protest and he holds up a hand. “We’ll be able to see her from here. She knows the place like it’s her own. I wouldn’t do anything to put her in danger.”

  I relax and sit back down.

  “Okay, Pop!” She takes off running toward the barn and Richard and I watch her the entire way.

  “For years Addy’s spoken of you. When she got pregnant, she was devastated. She thought for sure she’d lost you forever. I knew, though. The way she talked of you and how you were to her, that wouldn’t be the case.”

  Shame fills me when I recall how I treated her and Chris after Zoey was born.

  He shakes his head. “Don’t you think about that. Suzie and me, we knew. The reason you went distant wasn’t because of Addy, it was because you were heartbroken.”

  I nod. There’s no use denying it.

  “We didn’t tell Addy that. Figured you would need to be the one to explain that to her eventually. Just like I’ll let her be the one who explains her feelings for you when she’s ready. When Suzie got sick, we knew she had your parents. She had Chris and you and Max and me. Then she had Zoey. But Suzie and I, we knew, eventually, she’d mainly need you.”

  I watch as Zoey drags the large cardboard box out of the barn, her little butt sticking out as she pulls and tugs with all her might. Once it’s situated where she wants it, she digs out all the kittens and puts them on the ground beside her one by one.

  Four in total.

  Feisty little stinkers. “I don’t understand.”

  He isn’t deterred from what he was about to say. “When Suzie got sicker, she was worried, of course. Not just because she wasn’t prepared to leave this world, but because she hated that she was going to miss the two of you finally getting together.”

  I shake my head. “It’s because of me that she missed it. I was too busy being a jerk to her and wallowing in my own pity party.”

  “Because you were having a hard time reconciling with the fact that she was having another man’s baby. That man being your brother didn’t help much.”

  “Thanks for the reminder,” I mutter. Like a grump.

  He grins, an old man grin that shows his wrinkles. “I’m not finished, so relax. Once you got through that hurt and realized that no matter what, your love for her wasn’t going away, Suzie saw. Before she died, she knew it would happen eventually. Though, I have to admit, it did take a lot longer than either of us expected it to take.”

  “Yeah. I was scared.”

  “I know. But she was, too. Now’s the time, Beau.”

  I glance over at Zoey to make sure she’s not within hearing distance and see she’s still playing happily on the ground, kittens all around her and the two dogs lazying under the shade of a tree. Yeah. I can see life here could be just about perfect. Maybe even more perfect than what we experienced this morning.

  “We decided that last night.”

  Light shines in his eyes and he sits up in his seat. “You did?”

  “We did.”

  He slaps his knee and whoops. “Hot damn! I knew you’d figure it out eventually!”

  I can’t help but smile at his enthusiasm.

  “Don’t get any ideas. It happened last night,” I repeat, emphasizing when. “And we haven’t told Zoey yet. We need to talk and figure out exactly what it means but yes, if I have it my way, we’re together now and will be forever. But we’re not rushing.”

  “How much slower can you go?”

  “Ahh. So you’re a smart ass. Now I see why Addy likes you.”

  “Well that, and my good looks.”

  Chuckling, I relax in my chair.

  “I’m still admittedly a little freaked out by the fact that you’ve known Addy for fifteen years and I never knew it. Not to mention the fact that you contacted me to buy your house because you and Suzie had this idea that Addy and I would one day end up together.”

  “I’d like to take this moment to remind you that Zoey informed you just moments ago that I’m always right.”

  I bark out a laugh. Holy shit. This guy is too much.

  I tip my imaginary hat to him. “Touché.”

  “Now that that’s settled, how about we go check on that little girl? See how dirty she’s gotten in the barn.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Addy

  As curious as I am about what Beau and Zoey are up to, I’m grateful that I don’t know and get to hear all about it before we go to the pool. I also haven’t been able to wipe the smile from my face all morning long.

  The shop is doing well. It’s a busy time of year for us because of it being wedding season. But it also helps that we’re the only shop in town. And we’ve built a reputation so even if we’re the only shop in our town, people from the surrounding towns visit as well.

  My manager, Lindley, is phenomenal and keeps things running so I don’t have to be there every day of the week. Considering I do a lot of my bookkeeping at home after Zoey goes to sleep, I don’t feel too guilty when I don’t put in fifty or sixty hour work weeks.

  Lindley went to a junior college for horticulture and took some business courses. It’s not that designing flower arrangements is something that requires a degree, however, she wanted to learn more about the types of flowers and plants that we work with. After her husband left her for a younger version of herself, she decided to do something for herself. She took classes while caring for her two young children and dealing with the aftermath of what it looks like to have a husband divorce you but not before getting another woman pregnant. And now I can’t imagine a world without her. She’s not just my manager, she’s also my friend.

  I’m turning the vase around on my station to make sure that the bright orange and pink arrangement I just created is perfect when the door chimes alerting me that someone has come in.

  “Be right with you,” I say, slipping the plastic stem into the center and attaching the card that the customer already filled out. Once it’s settled, I place it in the large cooler and mark it ready for delivery in our computer system. We have high school girls who already have their license help and one of their favorite parts of the job is delivering flowers.

  “No rush.” I hear in a deep voice that causes my head to jerk up.

  “Tyson?”

  “Hi, Addy.”

  “Holy crap. Tyson?”

  “In the flesh,” he says, bright white teeth gleaming when he smiles, arms spread out next to him.

/>   He takes a step toward me and I come out behind the counter to greet him.

  I wasn’t planning on him hugging me tightly and picking me up, but that’s exactly what he does.

  “Holy shit, you look amazing,” he says into my hair.

  “Not so bad yourself,” I tell him when he sets me on my feet again. “How are you here?” I ask, shaking my head. “I’m just… wow! You’re here! It’s been, what? Ten years?”

  “Eleven, but who’s counting.”

  “You, apparently,” I tease.

  “Missed you.”

  I lightly punch his shoulder. “I see that, considering it’s been eleven years since you’ve seen me.”

  He bites his lower lip and looks at me. “You haven’t changed a bit.”

  “Now what would be the fun in that?”

  “Absolutely no fun at all.”

  “What are you doing here?” I ask him, calling for Mary, one of the other designers, to watch the front so Tyson and I can go to my office and talk. He follows after me and takes a seat in a chair across from my desk. Rather than sit behind it, though, I sit down next to him. “So? Tell me everything!”

  “I’m moving back home.”

  “No way! You are?”

  “I am. You didn’t hear?”

  “No, you egomaniac. I didn’t hear.”

  He smirks. “Damn. I’d really hoped I was worth more gossip, I guess.”

  “Don’t throw all your eggs in that basket. No one cares about you anymore,” I joke.

  “Good to know.”

  “Seriously, Tyson. You okay? I heard about your injury.”

  “Yeah, I’m okay. It sucks and I’m done with baseball now, which sucks even more, but it is what it is. Life isn’t always supposed to be perfect, right?”

  “No, it isn’t.”

  “Heard about your mom, Addy.”

  “Yeah. That was a not so perfect time.”

  “Sorry to hear that. I didn’t know or I would have come back sooner.”

  “Nothing you could have done,” I tell him.

  “Still shoulda been here. Can’t believe she’s gone.”

  “Yeah,” I say, looking around the office that was once hers. “Sometimes I can’t believe it either. You heard about Chris, right?”