Broken Love Story (Love 3)

I finally leave after Mom wraps half the apple pie up for me. I pick up my phone that I left in the truck and see that Samantha sent me a text.

Did I dream that you came here?

Chapter Seventeen

Samantha

I roll over to check the time, and it’s almost time to go get the girls. I get out of bed, dragging my legs to the bathroom. The shower only wakes me halfway. Going downstairs, I find the mess I left after breakfast, and I smile when I see the two coffee cups in the sink. He really came here. He really showed up for me. I grab my phone and text him

Did I dream that you came here?

I put my phone on the counter as I load the dishwasher and take some chicken out for dinner. I walk to the bus and am greeted by the girls and their big smiles when they walk off the bus.

“Mommy,” Daisy says as she runs to me, arms outstretched. “You feel better?” she asks when I gather her in my arms, kissing her nose.

“Yes, I feel all better,” I tell her, holding my arm out for Lizzie to join us. I pull her to my side and kiss her head as we talk about their day at school. We come into the house, and everyone starts their task, as I call it. Lizzie sits at the table and takes her homework out, something she’s started doing lately. Usually, she would do it in her room. Daisy sits next to her, and Lizzie helps Daisy with her homework too.

I start dinner, putting the chicken in the oven while I make rice. “Did you guys want corn or peas on the side?” I ask them as I look inside the freezer, swaying to the music in my head.

I glance over my shoulder at the girls and see Lizzie smiling at me, shrugging her shoulders. “Either is good.” She turns back to her homework. Daisy doesn’t have a preference either.

Lizzie sets the table while Daisy puts the forks on the table and the glasses. When we sit down to eat, I look at them. “This weekend, how about we go to the park, and I can take some new pictures of you two to hang in the living room?” I wait to see if one of them will say something or notice. “I think two pictures of you guys hanging on the big wall will look so nice.”

Lizzie looks up at me. “Yeah.” She then looks at Daisy. “We could wear matching outfits and then we can even do one together to hang in the middle.”

“That sounds like a plan,” I say, smiling, and we finish eating while Daisy talks about what she wants to wear. I tuck Daisy into bed, then head to Lizzie’s room last.

“Goodnight, love.” I bend to kiss her head.

“I’m glad you’re not sad anymore,” she says. “I didn’t like yesterday. I didn’t like you crying.”

“I know, baby, and I’m sorry.” I sit on the bed. “It was just a bad day.”

She nods at me, then sits up next to me. “I’m sorry you were sad,” she says, hugging my neck. I kiss her and tuck her in. As soon as I get into bed, my phone rings.

“If you tell me to open the door, I’ll really think I dreamed it.” I laugh, and I hear his laughter in return.

“Nope, I’m tucked into bed,” he says, and I wonder what his house looks like. I wonder if it’s your typical bachelor pad. Does he have pictures on the wall? Is there a picture of Frankie by his bed?

“Tired?” I ask him as he yawns. “What did you do today?”

“I helped my father hang shelves in his shed.” He laughs. “It’s a good thing he’s a lawyer because I swear the shelf was leaning with one side a good one inch lower.” I laugh at how he describes the shelf and how when he put something on it, it literally slid down to the other side.

I laugh the whole time, my cheeks hurting from the story of his father almost smashing the piece. “I’m taking the kids to the park tomorrow,” I tell him. “We are going to take pictures to hang in the living room.”

“Really?” he says, and I hear the blanket rustling in the background while he probably flips over. “Well, that’s a step in the right direction.”

“Yeah,” I say. “They didn’t even ask where we will put the other picture.”

“What are you going to do with it?” he asks me.

“I might just store it in the attic or ask maybe my in-laws if they want it.” I take a deep breath. “Do you still have pictures of Frankie?”

“Yup,” he says. “Right next to my bed is a picture of the two of us a week before she found out she was sick.”