Imperfect Love (Heart of Hope 4)

Brayden set the bag down and hugged Noah. “I said I would. I’m a man of my word.” He looked up at me, like his words were meant for me. But I’d heard all the words before.

“I’ll unpack,” I said reaching for the bag he’d put down.

“We don’t have time for that,” he said. “How about a trip to the zoo today?”

The kids cheered and jumped up and down.

My impulse was to say no, that I was tired. But that would have been bitchy even if was sort of true. I was tired. But perhaps it was an emotional tired, not physical one.

An hour later, we were in the zoo. Although it was overcast, it wasn’t raining, and the temperature wasn’t too cold. We’d made it through the temperate forest section and were by the flamingos where Lanie was trying to stand on one foot, when I heard my name called.

“Hey Terra.”

I turned to see Emma and Nina approaching.

“Emma, hi.” I gave her a hug and realized it had been a long time since she and I had chatted much less gotten together.

Nina joined Lanie in trying to stand on one foot, while Noah watched from Brayden’s shoulders.

“I didn’t know you’d be here,” I said.

“You’ve been a bit MIA. Are you okay?”

I nodded.

“Treatment going okay?”

Next week I was going to have my breasts removed, but standing by the flamingo pen at the zoo didn’t seem like the right place to share that.

“It’s a process. As you know,” I said instead.

“I heard you went to visit your dad,” she said.

I cast Brayden a look, but he was pointing towards the Tropical Rain Forest area and telling Noah something.

“Yes. I needed to let him know what was going on.”

Emma nodded. “Well, listen, why don’t I take the kids for a little bit and you and Brayden can catch up.”

I narrowed my eyes at her and then Brayden. “This feels like a set up.”

“So, what if it is?” Emma gave me a pointed stare, challenging me to argue. Then she turned to the kids. “Lanie, Noah, want to come with me and Nina to see the monkeys?”

“I want to see monkeys.” Lanie jumped up and down.

“Me too,” Noah said from Brayden’s shoulders.

He put Noah down. “It’s okay with me.”

“It’s settled. We’ll catch up later.” Emma took Noah’s hand and walked off with Lanie and Nina holding hands and skipping.

“What’s going on?” I asked Brayden.

He looked at me. “Is this a problem? You and I having a moment alone?” I noted some annoyance, and I suppose I couldn’t blame him. If this was a set up, he’d gone to some effort to make it happen. I, on the other hand, had been pretty bitchy to him.

“No. I just wonder why the set up,” I said.

He sighed. “You used to like my surprises.”