Toddler in Tow (Single Wide Female & Family #3)

by Lillianna Blake

  I thought back to the incident at the lobster restaurant and wondered if she would really think that if she’d been there.

  “I don’t know about that, but I do know that I appreciate every person who takes the time to read one of my books.”

  “No, I mean it.” She smiled and looked over at Max and Abby as they played in the grass. “You could have just settled in with your family. Instead, you find a way to balance everything. You still have your career, you still have your family, and you still give yourself time to take care of you. When I thought about going to college, I was sure it would be impossible. I already had a child, and my husband was always busy with work. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to do it. But after reading one of your books and learning more about your life, I realized that the only thing holding me back was me. Now, I’m in college—just about finished—my daughter helps me with my homework every night, and my husband buys me flowers for every test I pass. It’s brought us all closer together, when I was sure it would tear us apart. Sometimes we have to be daring and willing to risk discomfort—that’s what I’ve learned from you.”

  “I’m so glad that you are finding success. I don’t just mean educationally, but in your relationships. It’s so easy to lean in to just one part of our lives—career, education, family, friendship—we sometimes don’t consider that there can be a way to balance everything.”

  “I find it hard to find that balance.” Another woman spoke up.

  She looked to be in her early twenties. She clutched her purse so tight that her knuckles were white.

  She continued to speak as I nodded at her.

  “I don’t have any children, and I may not ever have any. I don’t want anything to interfere with my passion.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to have children, but I would warn you that if you hold too tight to your passion, it might become a burden instead of a dream. It sounds like you might be a little more afraid than you are determined. The important thing to remember is that passion is flexible. You may be certain of what you believe and what you want one moment, and it all may change in the next. Be open to where your passion leads you.”

  “But the best way to do things is to plan it out, to follow the path to success in my field. If I just take risks and explore, then I may not end up any further along in life than I am right now.”

  “It’s possible. But even the best plans can be derailed by uncontrollable circumstances. My rule of thumb is, if following my passion is not making me happy, I’m doing it wrong.”

  “That’s a good way to look at it.” She smiled and her hands relaxed on her purse. “I’ll have to think about that.”

  I fielded a few more questions from other women, then the crowd began to disperse.

  I joined Max and Abby on the grass to kick the ball around. A few of my readers did as well. It turned into an impromptu exercise session and a whole lot of laughter.

  When I returned to the table to gather the leftover books and other items, I discovered a plush lobster.

  “Max, did you do this?” I held up the stuffed crustacean.

  “No.” He laughed. “It must have followed you.”

  “Mommy, can we keep it?”

  “Yes, this one you can keep.” I grinned and handed it over.

  Someone had been at the book signing who’d also been at the restaurant. At least they hadn’t heckled me about it.

  The next morning we packed up and stopped for breakfast one last time in Maine. We had a long road ahead of us to Florida with some stops planned along the way.

  As we left the restaurant and headed for the highway, I realized I would miss Maine. Not just for its natural beauty, but the people that I’d met there who all seemed quite warm and friendly. The memories we’d made there I would treasure for the rest of my life.

  I reached across the car and took Max’s hand. “Thanks for everything you’ve done to make this happen. I can’t imagine a moment in my life without you.”

  “I feel the same. I honestly think you rescued me by pulling me out of that job. I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed traveling, having so much free time with you, and being a bigger part of Abby’s day-to-day life.”

  “We rescue each other. We’re lucky that way.”

  “Yes, we are.”

  After the cabin, it did feel like luxury to stay in a hotel. Abby enjoyed a splash in the pool with me, and Max caught up on some sleep.

  The next morning I took over the driving. We stopped in an interesting place called South of the Border, as Abby spotted the giant sombrero that drew travelers in. After some food and some exploring, we settled in for the final half of our journey to Florida. The further south we drove the more tropical everything became. Although I’d visited the Atlantic Ocean plenty of times, this was my first time seeing the Gulf of Mexico.

  “Isn’t it gorgeous, Max?”

  He gazed out the window as we crossed a long bridge that hovered only a few feet above the water.

  “It really is. I can’t wait to swim in it.”

  “Well, all I have to do is check in with the coordinator at the college then we can head straight for the beach. Heather recommended Clearwater.”

  “Can’t go wrong with a name like that?” Max laughed.

  “I guess we’ll find out.”

  About an hour later we pulled into a small parking lot.

  “Are you sure this is the place?” Max frowned and checked the GPS again.

  “Yes, see, there’s the sign.” I pointed to a small sign in front of a single moderately sized building.

  “It’s not what I expected.”

  “Me either. But I’ll go inside and see what’s up. Why don’t you two stay here, since Abby’s a little wiggly.”

  “Okay, we can get out and roam a bit. Good luck.”

  “Thanks.” I walked up to the door and pulled it open. Inside it was so quiet I wondered if there was anyone there. “Hello?”

  Chapter 21

  A woman popped out of one of the offices. She was tall, thin, and nearly bounced when she walked.

  “Hi, how’s it going? Hello there. I’m Peggy and you must be Samantha. Did you find us okay?” The woman smiled so widely that I had to smile back.

  The more I smiled, the more she smiled. It was a strange and friendly war.

  “We had a great trip, thanks—glad to be here.”

  “I’m so glad to have you here too.”

  “When is the book signing planned?”

  “Oh, I’m sure Heather told you. We’re not exactly a traditional college.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, we do offer degrees but most of our studies are focused on spiritual topics.”

  “So, you’re a religious college?”

  “Not exactly. It’s more of an eclectic environment. Some of our classes include meditation and spiritual development.”

  “Oh, I see.” I smiled. “Well, that sounds perfect to me. Did you have something different in mind for the book signing?”

  “Yes, I thought you might want to attend a meditation session. We usually have a big turnout for that, so I figured we can go with the flow and then segue into the book signing after that.”

  “Sure, that sounds perfect. Are most of your students young?”

  “Actually, we have quite a range of ages.”

  “Okay, any ideas on what they might enjoy talking about?”

  “Whatever comes to your mind. Like I said, we like to go with the flow around here.”

  “Excellent. We could use a little of that after such a long road trip.”

  “I imagine so. I’ve got you set up in one of the student houses. It’s right on the beach. They’re away for the week and offered to let you stay as long as you’d like.”

  “Thanks, that’s so kind.”

  “We’re big on sharing here. We’re more than a college, we’re a community.”

  “That’s so lovely to hear. I can’t wait to meet everyone.”


  “Take today, enjoy the beach, get some rest, and then tomorrow afternoon we’ll have the class, okay?”

  “Sounds perfect. Thanks so much, Peggy.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m sure you will love the water.” She handed over the keys along with an address. “If you need anything, just call me. Oh, and if anyone mentions Halley, just ignore them.”

  “Halley?”

  “Trust me.” She winked and walked away.

  I had no idea what she meant, but I was ready to get to the beach house and get my feet in the sand.

  I joined Max and Abby outside just in time to see Abby pick up a lizard.

  “Abby! Don’t touch!”

  “It’s alright.” Max shrugged. “It’s harmless.”

  “Mommy, can we keep it?”

  “Abby, the lizard lives here. It wants to stay here.”

  “Aw, alright.” She set the lizard back down on the ground and it scampered off.

  When I saw her sad face I looked into her eyes. “Ready to go to the beach?”

  “Yes!” Abby grinned. “Let’s go now!”

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  The beach house was beautiful and overlooked the beach, which was covered in flat white sand. The water sparkled so invitingly that we changed into our bathing suits right away. As eager as Abby was to get to the water, I held her back and made sure that she had everything she needed for a day in the sun.

  Once Abby had her sunscreen, sunhat, sunglasses, sun shirt, and water shoes on, I decided we were ready to go.

  As I watched Abby run across the white sand I couldn’t imagine seeing a more adorable sight. I snapped a picture as Max walked up behind me.

  “Are you going to let her play in the sand?”

  “Of course I am.”

  “With or without a bubble?”

  “Max! There’s nothing wrong with protecting her from the sun.”

  “No, there’s not, but sometimes you have to let her just relax and have fun too.”

  “I’m sure that the hat will become a sand bucket and the water shoes will either float away or get buried in the sand. But I will know that I tried.”

  “I guess that’s good.” He winked. “So, do you have time to put sunscreen on my back now?”

  “Absolutely. I wouldn’t want you to get crispy.”

  As we followed Abby toward the water I was stunned by the view of the Gulf. It stretched out before us, nearly flat and crystal blue, much calmer than what I was used to.

  After I lathered Max’s back with sunscreen, we all walked to the edge of the water. I braced myself as the water washed over my feet.

  “Oh wow!” My eyes widened.

  “Seriously.” Max stared down at the water.

  “It’s warm!” I wandered further into the water with Abby’s hand in mine. “It’s like stepping into a bath!”

  “It’s wonderful.” Max splashed in beside us.

  Abby squealed her approval and splashed him back.

  All thoughts about danger, sun exposure, and sand in unpleasant places left my mind as I was swept up in tropical pleasure. We spent most of the day on the beach and only crawled back inside for food when we were starving.

  After quick showers, Abby passed out for a nap and Max and I sat close to one another on the couch. He didn’t say a word before he kissed me. All the warmth of the water, the sun, and the scent of the salt seemed to be trapped in the silk of his skin. We enjoyed our time together, taking advantage of Abby’s rare nap.

  Later that night, as we drank milkshakes on the patio and listened to the waves roll in, I was struck again by just how happy I was. Abby played in the sand beside the patio, while Max and I talked about our trip.

  “I think maybe we should cancel the rest of it and just stay here forever.” Max gazed up at the moon in the starry sky.

  “That is tempting. But as pretty as it is here, Maine was just as beautiful.”

  “Yes, you’re right. I guess we’ll have to see what Texas has to offer.”

  “Heat, I’m guessing.”

  “We are in Florida, you know.” He laughed.

  “Alright, good point.” I grinned. “I’m going to work on the blog a little tonight, I think. I’m going to document some of our activities.”

  “Alright. I’ll be on Abby duty. It’s been a while since we watched a movie together.”

  “Thanks, Max.”

  After we finished dessert and I washed up the dishes, I took my computer out onto an upstairs balcony to write. The light breeze and balmy air helped me to relax, and the words flowed easily from my fingertips.

  I updated my readers on the tour so far and the lobster that was left behind. I spoke about the intense gratitude I was experiencing and how things felt as if they were perfectly falling into place. I suggested that living my passion was the main reason for the sense of contentment that I was feeling and asked whether any of my readers were in a profession that they considered their dream job.

  After I shut down the computer for the night, I crawled into bed with Max and fell asleep to the gentle rocking of the waves that still seemed to surround me.

  Chapter 22

  When I woke the next morning, Abby already had her bathing suit on. It was backwards, but it was on.

  “Swim!” She jumped up and down.

  “What time is it?” I glanced at the clock. “Oh, Abby, it’s only six. Maybe we could sleep a little longer?”

  “Swim!” Abby pounced on the bed and woke Max in the process.

  “Morning.” Max pulled her close for a hug. “You want me to take you swimming?”

  “Yes, please.” She grinned.

  “How about some breakfast first? We can make some for Mommy and let her sleep a little longer.”

  “Okay.”

  “You don’t have to do that, Max, I can get up.” I stretched and started to roll out of bed.

  “No, you don’t.” He caught me around the waist and rolled me back. “You stay right here until we come and get you.” He kissed my forehead. “You have a long day ahead of you and you need your rest.”

  “You don’t?”

  “I don’t mind.” He kissed me, this time on the lips. “Rest, sweetie, enjoy the sound of the water.”

  I settled back in bed and did enjoy the sound of the waves.

  When Max summoned me for breakfast he and Abby had already eaten. She had her bathing suit on the right way and I could see the sunscreen gleaming on her skin.

  “We’re going swimming. You relax and enjoy your breakfast.”

  “Okay, I think I will.” I smiled. “Thanks, Max.”

  I decided to take my breakfast out on the patio so that I could watch them play and see the water. As I was eating, a neighbor walked toward me.

  “Hey there, you’re not Angela.”

  “No, I’m not. She’s letting me stay in her home while she’s away.”

  “Oh, I see. Do you live around here?”

  “No, we’re just here for a visit.”

  “Out-of-towners, huh? Are you ready to deal with Halley?”

  I froze at the mention of the name. “Who?”

  “Don’t you watch the news?”

  “Not often, no.”

  “Halley—she’s a hurricane and she’s going to wash away this whole area.”

  “What? When?” My heart lurched.

  “In the next day or so. You know, they never get it just right. But it’s going to be a bad storm. We’ll all probably have to evacuate.” She sighed.

  “Oh wow, I didn’t know anything about this. Thanks for telling me!”

  “Sure, sure. Don’t play around with these storms now, they can be fierce.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  After I finished my breakfast I changed into my bathing suit and joined Max and Abby on the beach. “Max, there’s a hurricane coming in.”

  “There is? Are you sure?”

  “According to the neighbor.”

  “Hm, I guess w
e’d better find out more about that.”

  “The funny thing is that Peggy didn’t want me to know anything about it. Why do you think that is?”

  “Maybe you should ask her at the class.”

  “Yes, maybe I will.”

  After a few hours in the water I returned to the house to shower and dress for the class. Since it was a meditation class I wore loose clothing and just pinned my still-damp hair up. I kissed Max and Abby goodbye, then headed to the college.

  When I arrived, the small parking lot was overflowing with cars. Cars were parked up and down along the street as well. I wondered how all these people were going to fit into the small building.

  When I opened the door, the building was quiet—as quiet as it had been the day before.

  “Hello?” I waited for Peggy to pop out but she didn’t. Confused, I looked through the classrooms. There wasn’t a single person to be found. So what was with all of the cars?

  Then I heard a unified and quite loud “om,” which seemed to be coming through the wall of the building.

  I stepped through a door and out into a sprawling grassy area that was filled with people seated in a meditative pose.

  I froze at the entrance. Was I too late? I’d come at the time she’d requested, and yet everyone already seemed to be in deep meditation. I wasn’t sure whether to speak or retreat.

  “Samantha!” Peggy spoke up without even opening her eyes. “Welcome. Please join us. Sit anywhere you’d like.”

  Chapter 23

  I spotted an empty area in the back of the outdoor space and made my way to it. All the preparations I’d done in the car on the way over now seemed pointless as I sat down in the grass. The moment my skin touched the warm blades of grass I felt an instant desire to relax. With so many around me in meditation, I yearned to join them.

  When I closed my eyes, I thought of Max and Abby on the beach. What if a shark attacked? What if a rogue wave swept them away? My mind swirled with panic until I took a few deep breaths.

  As soon as I calmed down, I began to imagine what would happen if this trip turned out to be a disaster. Would Max be angry at me? Would Abby forgive me? All of my anxieties flooded to the surface. I took a few more deep breaths and willed my muscles to relax.