by Claire Adams
When Luke was about halfway to me, his lips still fully puckered, he stopped, slowly opening his eyes and blinking them at me. He had the most adorably embarrassed look on his face, and I closed my lips together trying not to laugh. I patted him on the chest as he stood back up and looked down at the ground, an obvious blush falling over his cheeks. I had never seen him embarrassed before, and I couldn’t help but think it was really charming and raw, something I was starting to enjoy seeing in him. Normally, Luke was a straight shooter, his personality sarcastic but mature, but I knew there was more to him than just that. He had spent all this time perfecting the, ‘I don’t care,’ look, but now he was starting to let a little more of himself shine through.
“Sorry,” he grumbled. “Muscle-memory must have kicked in.”
He shrugged at me apologetically and laughed, pulling his bag up further on his shoulder. I walked back over and smiled condescendingly, reaching up and kissing him on the cheek. He shook his head, and turned, his cheeks growing red once again. I could definitely get used to joking around with this man.
“Have a good day at work, honey,” I said, sarcastically, with a giggle.
“You too, dear,” he yelled back, before closing the front door behind him.
I shook my head and laughed, glad I had chosen to start my day on a good note instead of an awkward and sour one. Our kiss the night before could have done a lot of damage to us both, and more importantly, our goals, but I knew that I couldn’t let that happen, no matter how much I didn’t regret getting kissed like that. I spent the day getting things ready for Jake’s arrival, excited to see his little face again. When I got back to the guest bedroom where Jake would be staying, I looked around the room, grimacing at how sterile it looked, with just a full-sized bed, dresser, and some unassuming art on the walls. The room did not scream child in the least, and I knew that I couldn’t let Jake come to his dad’s house for the first time to be greeted with that. He had to be excited when he got here, not that he wouldn’t already be excited at the fact that he was going to get to spend the weekend with his father. Still, the boy needed a proper bedroom that was his, and the guest room was as far from that as it could get.
That was it; I couldn’t just sit around and let that happen: I had to get to decorating and creating a really welcoming and comfortable space for Jake. I decided that I was going to go out shopping and pick up a few things that would make him more comfortable. Since I didn’t have a job, I was pretty much free to work on the project all day, and I was glad that my crafting ability was finally being put to good use. Not only would I get to get him some stuff, but I would get to decorate his room a bit for his arrival. This was going to be his first night at his father’s house, and it had to be absolutely spectacular. It was hard to believe that Jake had never been in his father’s new place, but I knew Sarah, and it was quite obvious that she wouldn’t let that happen if she could possibly avoid it.
I wanted Jake to finally start feeling as special as the people who loved him thought he was. He had been through a lot over the last couple of years, and now he was getting the opportunity to be by his father’s side. That being said, I knew it was difficult on children when they moved to a new place, so I was going to do my best to make it easier on him. Besides, I needed to stay busy, and I figured that if I didn’t have a lot of idle time, I wouldn’t think about that kiss from the night before. Well, at least not as much.
This was going to be an amazing day, and no matter how many times I told myself it wasn’t right, I was also going to replay every touch of Luke’s lips against mine.
Chapter Twenty-One
Luke
I generally loved Fridays at work because there were no meetings, everyone was in a good mood, and most kids didn’t take Friday classes. But that Friday was extra special. I went through the entire day whistling, smiling, and laughing with my colleagues. I got a few strange looks since I was not really the kind of guy you would find in such a good mood, but there was no taking this away from me. This was the day I got to pick up Jake and bring him back to my place for the first time. I was a bit nervous about not having much at the house for him yet, but Quinn told me she would do the best she could to make the place welcoming for him when he got there.
I watched the clock the entire day, waiting for five p.m. to roll around. I was more than anxious to get things going, knowing there was always a chance that Sarah would pull one of her stunts and ruin the whole thing. During practice, I got really involved, laughing and joking with the guys, and showing them firsthand how plays were run. They definitely seemed to enjoy beating up on the coach for once, instead of him always beating up on them. When practice was over, I threw my gear in my bag and jogged out to my truck, not wanting anyone to stop me. I drove carefully to Sarah’s house right down the street and walked up the very familiar walk to the front door and knocked.
I stood there, nervously awaiting Jake, shoving my hands into my pockets to control my nervous hands. I could hear Jake’s laughter through the door, and it made me smile, until Sarah’s shrill voice drowned it out. I knocked again, thinking maybe they didn’t hear me the first time. What in the world was taking her so long to answer the door? It wasn’t like she was trying to be sneaky; I could hear them, and the car was parked right in front of the house. I took a deep breath and leaned to the side, trying to look through the window, but the curtains were too thick to see anything. Finally, as I raised my hand to knock again, the door flew open, and Sarah was standing there looking completely frazzled.
“I heard you the first time,” she exploded, standing in my way. “You are such a piece of shit.”
“What now, Sarah?” I rolled my eyes.
“You are such a terrible person for stealing my babysitter right out from under me,” she huffed angrily. “I needed her. And if you think for one second your stupid little fake marriage is going to hold up against the court officials, you are sorely mistaken. I’ve already told them to keep their eyes wide open because you’re such a lying piece of shit.”
“Oh yeah? And how did that go?”
“They didn’t respond,” she grumbled. “But they got the message loud and clear, and I can’t wait until you’re caught red-handed.”
“That’s nice, Sarah,” I said, looking past her. “It’s good to see that you have found yourself a hobby to keep busy while you are supposed to be taking care of Jake. It’s probably a good thing you don’t have a babysitter; you are actually being forced to be a mother.”
“Screw you,” she said, as I pushed past her.
“No thanks,” I replied, walking into the foyer and looking around for my little man.
I peeked into the dining room and walked through to the kitchen, but Jake wasn’t anywhere to be seen. His tablet was lying on the table, and there were loads of dirty dishes and laundry everywhere. It was apparent she had lost her touch as a mother and housekeeper. I shook my head and walked into the living room, lighting up immediately when I saw Jake standing at the edge of the couch, a backpack with a fur foot sticking out of the zipper sitting next to him on the floor. He looked up from the television and his eyes grew bright as soon as he saw me. I bent down on one knee as he plowed into me, his arms wrapping around my neck.
“You ready to come to Daddy’s for the weekend?”
“Yes,” he said enthusiastically.
I picked up his bag and opened it up, looking at all the stuffed animals he had packed inside of it. He walked over and peered down at it, mimicking my movements like he used to do as a baby. I ruffled his hair and zipped the bag back up.
“I packed it myself,” he said, proudly.
“You did? Well, you did a fantastic job,” I said, looking up at Sarah who was standing cross-armed in the doorway. “Sarah, did you happen to pack any of his clothes?”
“No,” she said, rolling her eyes. “That’s not my problem now. You need to make sure he has everything he needs. I mean, if you don’t, I can gladly call the courts.”
> “He has more than enough,” I said, with a slight smirk. “In fact, I was only asking so that you could keep them here since I know you are on a fixed income.”
“Whatever,” she scoffed. “You know, it’s a good thing you’re taking Jake for the weekend.”
“Oh yeah,” I said, flippantly. “Why is that?”
“Now I can enjoy my weekend,” she said, smoothing her feathered hair. “Maybe I’ll head out to a few bars and make some new friends.”
“God knows you scared all the old ones away,” I scoffed with a smile.
“You are insufferable,” she said, stomping her feet. “I don’t understand why you’re always doing things to make my life harder.”
“See, Sarah, it’s not that I’m doing things to make your life harder; it’s just that I am doing things that need to be done, and you don’t want to be a grownup,” I said. “No matter what you think, I don’t actually have to take care of you anymore; that’s the beauty of divorce.”
“We’ll see about that,” she smirked.
I was done talking to her. I had far too many things planned for my weekend with Jake. Normally, she would make me irate, irritating me to the point that I had no choice but to snap back, but not today. I leaned down and squeezed Jake’s nose, smiling at him before scooping him into my arms and grabbing his bag of stuffed animals. He laughed and squeezed me hard around the neck as we pushed past Sarah and outside to the driveway where my truck was parked in the front. I set him down in front of the back-passenger door and pulled out my keys. I had scrounged around in my garage for two hours the night before until I finally found the car seat I had kept for anytime I thought I would have Jake. Little did I know at the time that I’d never get to use it. Once I found it, I realized needed to take off the back and convert it to the booster option, then put it in the back seat of the truck.
I picked Jake up around the waist and hugged him tightly before getting him settled in the booster seat. I stretched the seatbelt back and forth to get some leeway and then pulled it over his lap, buckling it up. I stood there for a minute looking at him, realizing that his little body had grown so much he was almost too big for the thing. I fussed with it for a bit, then decided it would do for today, and I would just have to get him a new one. I figured we would end up at the stores anyway getting him clothes and shoes for my house, so I would just add a car seat to the list.
I leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead before tossing his bag into the front seat and climbing into the driver’s side. I adjusted the rearview mirror so I could see his happy face and put the key in the ignition, excited to get away from my old house and my old wife, and head home to a happier surrounding, especially since I knew that Quinn would be there waiting for us.
“How was school today?”
“Good,” he said, flapping his legs. “We had Spanish today, and I got all the answers right on the quiz.”
“You did? Dude, that is so awesome,” I said. “I am so exited to have you here with me. I have been waiting all day to see you.”
I flipped on the radio like we used to do when he would ride with me, and started singing the country songs that came on the safe station I had already picked out for our ride home. It was more than obvious that Jake was sharing in my excitement of having each other close this weekend. He looked happier than I’d seen him in a very long time, and in turn that brightened my life even more. While Sarah was looking forward to time away from Jake, I couldn’t wait to get him home and never leave his side.
“Is this your house?” Jake looked at in wonder, even though it was quite a bit smaller than the one he lived in.
“Yep,” I said, proudly. “Home sweet home. This is your house now too, buddy.”
“I like that,” he said, nodding his head with a serious expression on his face.
“Good,” I said laughing, as I parked the car and climbed out.
We walked hand in hand up the walk to the front door, and I opened it up, letting him go in first. As the door swung open Quinn poked her head out into the hallway and smiled, seeing Jake’s beautiful face. She walked toward us happily, and Jake stopped, dropping his bag on the ground and taking off toward her. The giggles that escaped his throat were absolutely adorable, and Quinn lit up like a Christmas tree. She bent over and caught him as he ran full speed into her arms, picking him up and squeezing him tightly, resting her face on his skin and closing her eyes. He squeezed her tighter than he had me, and I could tell he was extremely excited to see her. This had turned out even more perfectly than I’d ever imagined.
I could feel the emotions swirling around in my chest, and I cleared my throat, looking down at the floor. I couldn’t help the feelings I was having; it was all too overwhelming. I could feel my eyes burning as tears tugged at the corner and my nose got warm and stuffy for a second. It was amazing to see the love my son had for Quinn, not that I could blame him. She was kind, loving, gentle, and patient with him, always. She took care of him, making sure he was fed, bathed, clothed, and most importantly, loved. I hadn’t realized that having her in this house was going to be such a huge necessity, especially when it came to the comfort of my son.
He continued to hug her tightly, and I could see her fighting back her own emotions. He must have missed Quinn for the last week since she was no longer working for Sarah. I could only imagine, after seeing how ruffled and off-kilter Sarah was, how horribly she was doing at being that mother figure that he needed. If I were Jake, I would have missed Quinn too, especially since I couldn’t even imagine Sarah trying to cook for the kid, much less play with him or be patient. He’d probably eaten takeout for a week straight, and I don’t even want to think about whether she’d bathed him or not. It was pointless to think about, especially since he was in my house now and I could make sure he was taken care of, at least for a couple of days.
Either way, having Quinn and Jake there in my presence, under my roof, had to be the first time I’d felt at home in a very long time.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Quinn
I was so excited to see Jake; the last week had been like torture without him. When it was time for his bus to arrive, I worried that Sarah wasn’t there to get him, leaving him scared and alone on the front porch. But now it was okay; he was back in my arms, and in a safe place. Sarah had told me that she had gone through several care services, never finding someone who would be there when she needed them. I could see where being at her “beck and call” might not be in the scope of a nanny service and she definitely couldn’t afford a live-in nanny like she probably preferred.
“Dinner will be ready in a few minutes,” I said, smiling at the two of them. “Would you like to see your room?”
“Yeah!” he said with enthusiasm as he took my hand.
I looked back at Luke and smiled, watching his face falter from excitement to worry. He hadn’t had time to do anything to prep the spare room for Jake’s arrival. For all he knew, it was still the same plain walls, bed, and paintings on the wall that there was when he left that morning. I wanted to calm his nerves, but I knew he would find out soon enough, and it was really for Jake, not for him. Still, I enjoyed the fact that I could be helpful with the things no one had really thought about until it was too late.
We stepped into the room, and I flipped the light on, letting go of Jake and stepping to the side as Luke walked in, his face covered in shock. It was crazy how much Jake and Luke looked alike, and even then, standing in Jake’s new room, they had the same exact expression of shock and excitement. I giggled to myself as Luke knelt down to Jake’s level and the two of them scanned the room, their eyes bright with excitement. For Luke it would be so different, then I remembered that it was surely a shock for him. For Jake, it was going to be his home, the place he played, the place he snuggled up in bed, and the place he knew he could feel safe because his father was right across the hall from him.
Everything about the room was different, and it had been transformed from the mundan
e to the magical in just one short afternoon. There were posters of animated cars, and animated animals, stuck on the walls, leveled to the ceiling, and perfectly aligned to his bed. There was an easel in the corner with a chalkboard on one side and a huge roll of paper on the other. Next to the easel was a small standing container filled with brand new paints, pencils, crayons, markers, and chalk. I had picked out a few toys that I thought he might like and placed them sporadically around the room. His bedspread had rocket ships on it, and the windows were draped in the same exact material, keeping the brightness of the sun off the bed.
I laughed as Jake ran from his father over to the easel and his mouth dropped open. He looked at all the things he could use to make masterpieces of art, and he shook his little head in disbelief, more excited than I had ever seen him. He ran wildly around the room, inspecting everything since it all was brand new to him. For him, it was like Christmas, but for Luke, it was more: it was tangible evidence and solidification of the fact that his son was going to be there, and this time Sarah couldn’t come between them. Luke walked up behind me and put his chin on my shoulder, sending butterflies into my chest.
“Thank you,” he whispered. “I can’t believe you pulled off this off.”
I turned around and nodded my head, smiling at him in acknowledgment. I would have done all of this for Jake no matter what Luke’s response may have been, but I couldn’t lie that it felt good to have him acknowledge the fact that I’d gone out of my way for the both of them. I wanted Jake to be comfortable, I wanted Luke to be happy, and I wanted the place to start looking like a home instead of some single guy’s house. That was important for when the court came to visit, so while I was out, I also picked up some candles for the house, a throw for the couch, and some cleaning products. Speaking of cleaning, the boys needed to get ready for dinner, and I needed to make sure that everything was ready and set to eat. I clapped my hands and turned to Jake.