Almost a Family

Molly shut the door behind him and he heard her sigh with frustration. “Bath time. You could have warned me, you know.”

He chuckled. “Sara loves bath time. Did you find her squirty shark?”

“Find it? I’m wearing it.” Her voice was clipped and annoyed. She went past him and headed up the stairs again. “I shouldn’t leave her up there alone. Excuse me.”

When she was gone, Jason wandered into the kitchen, catching his breath at the sight he found. Kim’s normally ordered kitchen was a disaster. For two people, they’d made an extraordinary mess. Plates smeared with ketchup, glasses with the scum of chocolate milk in the bottom and a greasy cookie sheet were piled in the sink. A thick blob of ketchup was on the tablecloth and a dishtowel stained brown was crumpled on the counter where it had wiped up a spill.

He shook his head. Molly had come home to take care of things, but it was obvious she was out of her depth. He opened the dishwasher and began loading the plates and glasses inside.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

He turned to find Molly, her arms full of a scrubbed and shiny Sara, leveling an accusing glare at him.

“Just loading your dishwasher.”

“I can do that. I do know how.”

He floundered, straightened. “I know that.”

Molly put Sara down, resting a hand on the child’s damp curls. “What exactly are you doing here, Jason?”

He stared at Molly for a few seconds, then knelt down, putting on a brilliant smile for Sara. “I came to say goodnight to my best girl. The house seemed kinda quiet tonight.”

He held out his arms and Sara rushed into them, smelling of baby shampoo and lotion and clean pajamas.

He laughed. “Here.” He nuzzled her neck, making her giggle. “Bubbles sent a kiss goodnight.”

Sara gripped Jason’s face, stuck out her tongue and swiped a puppy kiss right up his cheek.

“Sara!” Molly’s voice intruded, appalled, as Jason wiped the slobber from his face. Molly took a step forward, her mouth pursed in dismay.

Jason stopped Molly’s progress with a look. “I think that was meant for Bubbles. But you know the rules about Snoopy kisses, muffin.” Jason looked Sara evenly in the eye as she nodded back at him, chastised.

“No Snoopy kisses. They’re yucky.”

“That’s right. Time for bed now.”

She peeked at him over Molly’s shoulder as they disappeared, and Jason ran a hand through his hair. Bedtime wasn’t going to be that bad, it seemed. Sara wasn’t making a big fuss about it at all. He should go home now while Molly was upstairs.

Yet something held him back, made him stay. Maybe it was the way Molly’s eyes darkened with doubt just before she shuttered them away. Maybe it was six years of wondering what had happened to her. Maybe it was nothing other than simple curiosity about whether her life had turned out the way she had wanted.

Whatever it was, it kept him there and he went to the living room to wait for her return.

Chapter Two

After reading her a story and singing three songs, Molly finally had Sara asleep. All the frustration Molly had felt throughout the day evaporated as she’d looked down on Sara’s sleeping face. Innocent and trusting. With her blonde curls and long eyelashes, she looked like a slumbering angel. Kim had been raising this little spitfire all on her own, and Molly had a new appreciation for the courage and commitment it took to be a parent. Not to mention a single one.

The hall was quiet, and she assumed Jason had gone as she quietly descended the stairs. He didn’t even wait to say goodbye, she thought, feeling a little let down and a little relieved at the same time. It was probably just as well. Seeing him was hard enough. It brought back all the memories of their breakup, and worse, the memories of when times had been good. And it had been good—for a long time. But that was over. It would be better for everyone if they tried to keep out of each other’s way over the next few weeks.

Wandering to the kitchen, she sighed. Having kids required sacrifices. Sacrifices she was positive she wasn’t ready to make. In that she was sure she’d made the right choice. She had too many things to do before she thought about having children of her own. She remembered the way Jason had kissed Sara’s head as he’d given her milk that afternoon. No, she was where she wanted to be. No matter how the sight of Jason and Sara together twisted her insides.

She was in the middle of pouring water into the electric kettle when Jason spoke behind her.

“You making tea?”

She spun, splashing water on the counter. “I thought you’d gone.”

“I probably should have.”