The mention of the little boy brought a smile to my face. “Of course.”
“Thanks!” Jake leaned down and kissed my cheek. “I’ll bring him over around lunch. Later, Emily.”
He jogged back across the street, leaving me in a state of shock. I closed my mouth upon realizing it was open. I shook my head and continued my jog.
Two hours later, I returned home. I took a quick shower and went back into the kitchen where my dad was waiting. “I do wish you would leave a note when you go off on your runs.”
“Sorry.” I took out a bowl and started to fix cereal. My dad was reading the paper and eating cereal as well. I liked Cinnamon Toast Crunch, while he was a lover of Cheerios. I ate my breakfast quietly. The only sounds in the house were the occasional turning of a page, the clinking of a spoon against a glass bowl, and the crunch of cereal. Did he really kiss me?
“Something wrong with your cheek, honey?” I glanced up and he nodded to my fingers that were trailing down my cheek. I shook my head. “Okay, well I’ll get the dishes today, honey.” I nodded and handed him my bowl.
Oh! “Dad, I ran into Jake on my run.”
“Oh really?”
I nodded. “He asked me to watch Drake today.” I smiled and continued, “He should be over around lunch time. Are you doing anything today
?”
“Actually, I was going to go make one last fishing trip with Dan.” Dan was Dad’s best friend. They went fishing all the time.
“Have fun.”
“Thanks, hon.”
I stood up and went to the living room. I was excited about today. I actually had plans. Me, with plans. Sure, they were with a seven year old, but they were plans. Dad had to think that was progress, right? Two hours until Drake would be here.
What would I do for two hours? I turned on the TV and found a re-showing of one of the games played that week. Detroit was playing the New York Rangers. Soon, I was captured in hockey and my dad had left already. Detroit was up by two and it was the final period with less than five minutes to go.
A knock on the door called my attention. Drake! I had almost forgotten about him. I got up and opened the door to see Drake who looked like he was full of excitement. “Hey, Drake! Ready to have some fun today?”
“Absolutely! What are we going to do?”
“Emily will tell you all about that. Go find something on TV so I can talk to Emily real quick,” Jake cut in. I stepped aside as Drake ran into the living room and Jake stepped in behind him. “I won’t be here long. I just wanted to tell you that he’s hyper today. I shouldn’t be gone too long.”
“It’s fine. Take your time.”
Jake nodded. “Thanks again, Emily,” he said, turning to open the door.
He was halfway out when I surprised myself again. “Hey Jake?”
He turned. “Yeah?”
“After you do whatever it is you have to do, go do something for yourself. I can handle Drake and you look like you could use a break.” I took a deep breath and saw him smile.
“Thanks, Emily.”
Then he was gone. I went into the living room and sat down beside Drake who was watching Phineas and Ferb. “This is one of my favorite shows,” I confided.
Drake grinned and asked, “Where is Mr. Mike?”
“He went fishing. It’s just you and me today. What do you want to do?”
Drake seemed to be in deep thought. Then it was like a light had gone off in his head and he broke out in a stunning smile. “Well, there is a new movie out that I really want to go see and Jake won’t take me.”
“He won’t? What movie?”
“Cars 2. Please Emily, can we go? Please!”