She mustered an insincere smile. “I do. Thank you, Andrew.”
“You’re welcome.” He skipped back to his seat. I helped him back into his chair.
“Who’d have thought all this family needed was a hug?” Bri said with a laugh.
Once my mother was out of the picture, the day went well. The weather was crappy, but Bri and I took Andrew to the attic where we indeed found some cool items and old toys, including an old Lionel train set.
“Just don’t leave it plugged in,” my sister said. “That plug looks older than Dad.”
We played hide-n-seek, and I taught him how to play pool. Andrew didn’t bring a swimsuit, but he did have an extra pair of underwear, so I took him swimming in his tighty whities. All the while I was making mental notes of things that I’d need to get for him at my place.
We had dinner again with my parents, and my mother wasn’t as shrill, although she was still cool and aloof.
It wasn’t until I put him to bed in the guest room nearest to my room that I started to have trouble.
“I want my mommy.” Andrew stood next to the bed, refusing to get in.
“You’ll see her tomorrow,” I said. I pulled a book from his backpack. “Why don’t we read this plane book.”
His lower lip quivered and his eyes filled with tears. “I want my mommy. Where’s my mommy?”
An oh-shit feeling came over me. That and a feeling of total and complete ineptitude. “I tell you what,” I started wondering if bargaining was the right thing to do. I mentally added a parenting book on my list of items to buy. “You get into bed, and we’ll call your mom.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, of course.” I pulled the covers down as I slipped my phone from my pocket. “We’ll video chat, so you can see her.”
He sniffed and nodded. He climbed into the bed, and I called Serena.
“Devin?” Her blue eyes filled the screen. It occurred to me that Andrew had blue eyes like her, but the shape of them were like mine, as was much of the rest of him.
“Hi…ah…Andrew is homesick. He’d like to talk to you.”
“Okay.”
I handed Andrew the phone. “See your mom here? And she can see you too.”
“Hi Mommy.” He waved at the phone.
“Hi baby. You having fun?”
“Yes. I went swimming in my undies.”
“Goodness. We’ll remember to pack your swimsuit next time. What else did you do?”
“We played hide and seek and Carl calls me young master Andrew.”
I didn’t want to eavesdrop, and yet I didn’t want to leave him alone either. I went to the window and looked out into the darkened night.
“So, it’s been a good day?” she asked.
“Auntie Bri likes to make trouble. But I like her, she’s funny.”
“I’m glad. Did you see your grandparents too?”
When I didn’t hear anything, I looked over at him. His eyes were looking at me as he held the phone close to his mouth and whispered to Serena. I couldn’t make out what he was saying.
“I’m sure that’s not the case,” Serena said, but there was something in her tone that put me on edge. Like he’d told her something that made her upset.
“She doesn’t.” Andrew shook his head. “I even tried to give her a hug, because you said people sometimes need hugs. I don’t think she liked it.”
Ah fuck. He was talking about my mother.
“Maybe she’s having a hard day. You know, even you get grumpy sometimes and don’t want hugs.”
I had to hand it to Serena, she had the opportunity to skewer my mother in Andrew’s eyes, but wasn’t taking it.
“Are you going to sleep now?” she asked.
“Yes. Daddy said he’d read me a book.”
“Well, you have sweet dreams. I miss you, baby. But I know you’re having so much fun with your daddy.”
“I miss you, Mommy.”
I heard her blow him a kiss. He leaned forward and kissed the phone. Then he held it up to me. I took it and saw her still on the line.
“Let me talk to your mom for a minute, okay? I’ll be right back.”
“’Kay.” Andrew picked up the book and started to read while I stepped into the hallway.
“I think he’ll be okay now,” she said. It wasn’t what I expected. I told her I’d protect him from my mother, and I hadn’t done a good job of it. I’d expected her to go at me on it.
“She didn’t say anything bad to him,” I said, feeling like I should address it anyway.
She looked down. “Kids can sense how people feel about them. He thinks she doesn’t like him.”
“I’ll talk to him.”
“Maybe you need to talk to her,” she snapped. Immediately I saw her eyes turn to regret. “I’m sorry…I just…he’s innocent in all this.”
“I’ll deal with it. I promise.”
She nodded. “Thank you.” She looked tired and sad and a lot of what I felt.
“How did you do all this by yourself?”
She smiled warmly. “I had my parents help. But most I learned as I went. I’ve had time to adjust and adapt. You’ll get it.”
“I don’t know. I don’t have even half of what I need.” I shook my head, starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by it all.
“Like what?”
“A booster seat. Toys. All of it. I’ve started a list.”
“You’ll need a car seat if you want to take him in your car,” she said.
“Jesus, how much does one little kid need?”
“I can give you a list, if you like.”
“How will I know what to choose?” I ran my hand through my hair.
“The people at the shop, or maybe you can bring your sister.”
I snorted. “Bri would be useless. I’d probably come home with a ten-foot-tall stuffed panda or something.”
Serena smiled, and I had an urge to reach out to touch her. Not in a sexual sense, but just in a camaraderie.
“Maybe you could take me,” I said.
She jerked in surprise. “Ah…yeah, sure. I’d be happy to help.”
Feeling a bit awkward I nodded. “Good. Great. I should probably go read his book.”
“Give
