Chance Encounter

by Jerry Cole

  “She’s going to be an amazing grandma to Ava,” he whispered in my ear before kissing my hair.

  “I know,” I replied, wiping a tear from my eye.

  Each of the girls took maternity time off work due to the adoption for a few weeks. We had Thursday morning free but stayed with Gram in her apartment while the woman carried Ava to the upstairs apartment. They were up there for about an hour before the woman came to collect some things from the car.

  “Let us help,” we told her as she walked out to the SUV to open the back. “Hayden and Gray. We’re best friends with the girls.” We shook hands and unloaded a bag of clothes, another bag of toys, and a few packs of diapers to tide them over for a while.

  “You live here?” She asked, taking us in as we balanced everything.

  “We live downstairs next door to my Gram. My cousin and his girl are moving into the other unit upstairs soon.” She widened her eyes and looked at the building.

  “Wow. It’s a real family unit here,” she remarked, her dark eyes warming.

  “It is. Ava will be in great hands.” I assured her as she smiled.

  “It’s a shame that the accident happened. Another young man was killed in the accident as well. It was a mess all around.” Her face fell, and Hayden looked at me as understanding crossed his face.

  “Was the baby in the accident?” I asked as she shook her head.

  “She was with a sitter.”

  “Thank God,” Gray said, running a hand through his hair. We carried the items upstairs, seeing the girls sitting with Ava between them. There was a mix of happiness and shock on their faces, making us smile as we set the stuff in the corner of the room.

  We took a seat on the couch, taking in the new family. The social worker told us that everything looked great, telling the girls she’d be checking in. Other than that, the money would be in their possession soon.

  She left, and we watched them with her. Ava looked a lot like her mom, and it made us look back a bit. We thought back to how we met her, and the risk it put our lives in. It was an accident, of course. Another one killed her, and I held Gray’s hand.

  The baby seemed oblivious. She crawled around to see her new surroundings, reminding the girls they needed to baby-proof their apartment. We went through the stuff as we kept an eye on her, someone sitting by her at all times. There were some baby toys, stuffed animals, books, and blankets in one of the large bags. The other bag held clothes and shoes, obviously lovingly picked out by Vivian and her mom.

  “I have no idea what to do with her tonight,” Becca whispered to me as we sat on the couch. Mari was sitting with Ava who was in her highchair at the table, watching her eat soft chunks of mango and cheese. She insisted on food shopping after some lengthy research, stocking the house with formula as well.

  “I don’t think it will be a restful night for any of you,” I told her, looking at the smile on Mari’s face. “We’ll take over tomorrow and let you get some sleep if need be. You’ll get a system going.” I looked around. “Is there a stroller? We can take her for a walk.”

  “In the closet. We found a good one,” Becca said, her smile fading. “What do we tell her about her mom?”

  “When the time comes, tell her that Vivian loved her very much. Tell her that she died in whatever way you’re comfortable with and what is age-appropriate at the time. Don’t hide things.” I slipped an arm over her shoulder, pulling her close. “You’ve got this.”

  “I sure hope so,” Becca sighed as she stood up to help Mari clean up the baby. They left her in her pajamas, taking her to her room to settle down for the night.

  Gram told us to come for breakfast the following morning if we were up to it. The baby went to sleep after some music and singing from the girls, and we headed downstairs to get some sleep.

  “They have a daughter,” I said once our door was closed.

  “She’s a cutie,” Gray told me as I nodded. The baby looked happy and active, and the girls were sure to be exhausted. “I wonder how they’ll do tonight.”

  “I’m glad we have floors that don’t share every sound.” Older apartments were good for that, and the walls were thick and floors solid.

  “I know. Want to watch a movie for a while?”

  “Yes,” I replied, locking the front door before leading him to the bedroom. We turned on the TV, snuggling in bed as we played a familiar movie. We talked through it, kissing and laughing until we went to sleep.

  I woke up early to a message, grabbing my phone to see Becca’s name.

  She slept all night. She woke us up at seven!

  That’s great. Want to do breakfast with Gram at eight?

  Becca agreed, and I looked at the clock to see that it was seven-thirty. Not that early, after all. I rose to make coffee, knowing that Gray would follow, and we’d put ourselves together enough to head over to breakfast.

  “How did they do?” He asked, stumbling into the kitchen in sleep pants and a sexy bare torso.

  “She slept all night.” He grinned as I handed him coffee. “They’re going to be at Gram’s at eight.”

  “In that case, we should get dressed.” He sipped his coffee, and I followed him to the room to change into jeans and sweatshirts, shuffling next door in bare feet. Gram was at the kitchen table, holding the baby as Mari finished the meal. She had a smile on her face as she held Ava tight, talking to the little girl as she squealed in response.

  “How are you?” I asked as I sat in the chair across from Becca.

  “I’m tired, but it isn’t her fault. We didn’t sleep well because we were checking on Ava all night. She’s so peaceful at night.” Becca shook her head, looking to her left at Gram. “Is that normal?”

  “Every night can be different,” Gram told her, taking in the chubby baby. “I think this one might be in a growth spurt, so she’ll sleep more and eat more. I hope that you’re prepared.”

  “Mama Bear has plenty of food up there.” Becca playfully rolled her eyes as Mari mock glared at her.

  “Breakfast is ready,” she told us, securing a highchair to one of the chairs at the kitchen table. We helped pile the table with scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, freshly baked cinnamon rolls and juice and coffee. Ava had a bottle with some formula in it as she was secured at the table.

  I watched as Becca and Mari cut up food for Ava, eating as they gave her little bits at a time. They seemed to already be good at the process, but one night was not how it would always be. She ate a lot of everything offered to her, focusing on the eggs and the bacon. Ava even finished her bottle, and Mari held her on the couch after the meal, rocking her gently.

  “That’s a good baby who is definitely going through a growth spurt. Did you see her eat?” Gram asked with a smile on her face.

  “I did,” Gray said with a smile as he reached for his coffee. Her eyes drooped closed as Mari leaned back, sighing in contentment.

  “I didn't realize how much I wanted this.” She let her eyes close as she stroked the baby’s soft hair.

  “You’re a natural at this, Mar. What’s your secret?” Gray asked as she smiled. He winked at Becca, not wanting her to feel bad.

  “I was a babysitter and a nanny. A lot.” She snuggled deeper into the cushions, holding Ava tight. “I’ve dozed with so many kids on their sleepless nights.”

  “That’s not to say that she’s alone in this. I love sleeping holding her,” Becca chimed in as the girls smiled at each other.

  “We will both be doing a lot of that,” Mari assured her with a tired smile. “It’s a good thing that we have so many people to help out.”

  “You do,” Hayden said as he and Becca shared a smile.

  We chatted for a bit longer, helping Gram put the leftovers away after she packed some for Mari and Becca. They promised they would be over for Sunday dinner, and told us to take a walk with them if we ever wanted to. Once they headed back upstairs, Gray and I each took a recliner and leaned them back.

  “I’m tired watching them
,” I joked as Gram sat on the couch with some tea.

  “She’s at that age where she’s going to crawl everywhere. Wait until she can walk in a few months.” Gram giggled, and I smiled at her. “They’ll need your help. I need to stay young so that I can help them.”

  “I’ll find us all a fountain of youth,” I said, making us all laugh.

  I started work that night again, leaving Gray behind to work on projects. None of us were going to smother the new family since they needed to adjust to each other. I also promised Gray that we were going to focus on each other more than anything while keeping our family close. There would be plenty of time with our new niece, but I was still in a play.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Gray

  It felt like time started to fly by. Hayden and I both worked a lot, and the girls were busy being mothers. They each had a few months off work to adjust and bond with Ava, and they were all loving it. Ava loved her moms. It seemed easier that she wouldn’t remember her past life in some ways.

  I came out to the living room one morning to see Hayden reading something on his phone. He looked shocked as I paused, taking him in.

  “Are you okay?” I asked as he blinked at me.

  “I came across an article about the accident in the paper. We never looked into it further once Ava got here.” I nodded, wondering where this was going. “The social worker mentioned that a guy hit them and died.” I tilted my head at him. “The guy was Ryan. He was Ava’s father and ran a red light.”

  “Fuck. He killed her?” I asked as his eyes filled with tears. “He was with you when she got pregnant, right?”

  “It would seem so. Not that I’m surprised. He is-was an asshole. He was never there for Ava, to begin with.” I could tell that Hayden was working through this as he spoke. The tears weren’t personal as much as they were for Ava and the mom that would never know her.

  “That was a strange circle to bring us here. Are you okay?” I asked, stepping forward to stroke his cheek.

  “I don’t know. He won’t hurt us again. He can’t get to Ava. That’s all good. I just can’t imagine the two of them in that car, seeing their fate.”

  I kissed him. “They likely didn’t know what was happening. Those things happen quickly.” He hugged me to him.

  “I hope so. He was drunk on top of everything else.”

  “Asshole,” I murmured as we held each other. “Let’s not mention this to the girls. They don’t need to know how much Ryan was involved with things. When it comes time to talk to Ava about her real parents, they can make up something vague.”

  “I hate keeping secrets from Becca, but I agree with this. They need to move forward.” He stroked my hair, and we fell silent for a moment. “He can’t hurt us again.”

  Once we finished coffee, Hayden asked if I wanted to go for a hike. He had the day off. I made a habit of doing my stuff when he was at work, so we’d have time together. “We can grab some food before or after.”

  “That sounds perfect.” We showered and dressed for the outdoors, walking into the foyer to see three girls coming downstairs. Becca had the stroller, Mari was carrying the baby, and all three beamed at us.

  “Where are you boys headed?” Becca asked as I reached out for Ava. This baby was special to me, giggling as I tickled her.

  “We’re taking the three of you to breakfast to start if you’ll have us. After that, we’re taking Ava hiking for the first time.” Hayden grinned as they laughed.

  “I’m all for breakfast. The hike would probably suck since she can’t even walk yet.” Mari laughed as she watched me with her daughter.

  “Fine. I can push Ava in the stroller. We’ll get one of those rugged ones. How about it, Ava?” I asked as she laughed harder.

  “She’ll have so much fun when that time comes.” Becca mused as Hayden made the way to the door to open it. I leaned into Gram’s house to see if she needed anything while we were out, and her only request was to see the baby.

  “I remember when she used to love us,” I mused as everyone laughed. We headed to the diner since it was loud and busy, knowing that Ava would settle in more. Once we were armed with coffee and a highchair, we caught up on their week.

  Ava was doing great and growing fast at eight and a half months old. She had a healthy appetite and ate nearly anything they tried. She was getting around more and more, using the edge of anything to try to pull herself up. We spent time with her a few times a week, but I still thought she looked bigger every time we saw her.

  Becca started work back in two weeks, while Mari started in three. They were going to arrange their schedules so someone could be home with Ava. The girls were also going to take a date night each week and keep their relationship strong.

  “That’s a good plan. You know you have help. Jackson and Amy should be here in a month, so there’s more. I think Amy is going to help run the company from home part-time.” The girls smiled.

  “I can’t wait to have her here.” Becca clapped her hands together. “They’ll be here for the summer. That’s perfect.”

  “The holidays, too. Gram is going to love that.” I grinned as I watched Ava drink her bottle.

  “Her first Christmas with us!” Mari leaned down to kiss Ava’s cheek.

  “It’s the first one that she’ll remember,” Becca said, looking at the baby. “She doesn’t remember last year.”

  “We’re going to make it amazing for her,” Mari promised her girlfriend as she reached out to hold her hand. “It’s time to begin some traditions.”

  “You saw Gram. She’s got a lot, and there used to be more when she was more active. Christmas caroling, looking at lights, friends over for food, and I remember a few cookie parties. She made it great for Jackson and me. You’ll do it for Ava,” I assured them as our food was set down on the table. “This looks great.” We ate, each giving the baby bites of our food as she happily munched on it.

  “What are you going to do for her birthday?” Hayden asked as Mari smiled.

  “Family party. She’s little and doesn’t have friends yet. We’ll just do a cake for her, get some presents, and have fun.” Becca smiled as Mari laughed. “We’ll save the big celebrations for later. I just want her to know that she’s loved.”

  We had a long breakfast, and the girls headed home to see Gram, while we continued on the hike. We drove to the trail, parking in the small lot before heading through the trees to a creek that we loved to visit.

  The afternoon turned into evening as we walked back to our car. We decided to be lazy, grabbing pizza for dinner, and popping into Gram’s apartment. Everyone was there. We shared the feast, watching the baby while Becca and Mari went out for dessert. They brought back ice cream.

  This was a regular thing when we were all home together. It was easier for Gram to have us drop-in, so we all did. We’d eat, catch up, and just spend time together as a family.

  We celebrated Jackson’s move about a month later. They did decide on the upstairs unit, and Gram cooked dinner once they were in over the weekend. I liked having my cousin here. We caught up on old times in our childhood while everyone ate. Amy fell instantly in love with Ava, sending pouts Jackson’s way as he chatted with me.

  “You’re going to be asked for a baby soon, buddy. Look at them.” The girls were all gathered around Ava, smiling as the baby giggled at them.

  “I am going to get a ring on that finger, and then she can have all the babies she wants. I think that she’ll be busy with that one.” He smiled, and she blew him a kiss.

  “We all will,” I replied, sipping my soda.

  “Is everyone ready for cake?” Gram asked as he groaned.

  “I need to know what gyms are in the area. Her cooking will be the death of me.”

  Jackson focused on running his business long distance with the help of Amy. He made enough money that he could probably just have a good manager handle things, but he built that company from the ground. My cousin was nothing if not smart. They also spent a
lot of time with Gram and the baby. There would be a couple of hours where Becca would have to be at work before Mari arrived home, so Amy covered those days. She happily watched the baby so the girls could go on dates, or something as easy as going grocery shopping alone.

  I got to have a beer with my cousin anytime I wanted that. We weren’t planning around his trip here for a week or so anymore. He lived here, and hanging out for a couple of hours was easy now. He welcomed Hayden if he wasn’t working as well.

  He found that he still had to travel to Florida for company business once a month or so, and Amy usually stayed home. She worked on the spreadsheets and spent time with the girls and the baby. It was kind of perfect for everyone involved.

  One day, Mari invited me to dinner at their place. Becca was working with Hayden, and she had some steak that she wanted to cook for Amy and me. Jackson was in Florida. I helped in the kitchen while Amy played with the baby.

  “I got a check in the mail. Something from Ava’s dad. I thought he signed her away.” She was chopping veggies for a salad. I glanced at her as I crusted the pie.

  “I don’t know. Maybe he grew a heart, and it is support,” I suggested as Mari brushed some peppers into the lettuce.

  “It’s more like life insurance or something, based on the amount. I guess we’ll have to tell her that both parents are dead. I knew she didn’t have much of a dad, to begin with, but what are the odds that he’d be gone, too?” Mari sighed. “We’re putting it into a college fund for her. If we start early, we might be able to send her somewhere.”

  “You both are great parents. Ava couldn’t be any better off.” I glanced into the living room to see Amy holding Ava’s tiny hands as she wobbled across the floor. “She’s going to be walking soon.”

  “I’ll get nothing done. She’s ridiculous crawling.” Mari smiled as she complained, telling me that she couldn’t wait. “Think we’ll have to get a tabletop tree this year at Christmas?”