“Phew! That was a workout!” I exclaimed, taking a deep breath after it finally decided to cooperate. Kate snatched up Thomas, wincing in pain as she lifted him and placed him in his stroller.
“Owww!!” He repeated his word for outside and pointed to the door while bouncing up and down excitedly.
The sun was winning its battle with the overcast sky, creating the perfect balance in temperature when we stepped outside. Kate pushed Thomas’ stroller as we ambled slowly down the street and she gave me a lowdown of the neighbors when we passed each of their houses. Through her stories I was coming to find out that her quaint little neighborhood was a mixture of Peyton Place and The Twilight Zone. We walked a few blocks before taking a seat on a nearby bench when Kate became out of breath.
“I hate this!” she shouted. “I hate that I can’t take a simple little walk without needing to take a break.” It was the first time I had ever heard her express anger over her condition. “I used to run marathons, and now...” Her eyes welled with tears. “Now I can’t even take my son for a bloody walk.”
“I’m not going to say I know how you feel because I don’t. I get your frustration, but the fact that you’re even out and about going for a walk proves how strong you are, and you should be proud of that. If it makes you feel any better, I never ran a marathon, and I’d be terrified to even attempt it. I can’t even run up the street without getting a cramp in my side.”
She managed a smile, but I could sense she was still beating herself up on the inside. I rolled Thomas’ stroller back and forth when he started to get restless, then pulled out one of his toys from the diaper bag to keep him occupied.
“Did you and Theo have a nice time last night?” Kate asked, staring straight ahead.
“We did. I met two of his friends, Jo and David. They were really nice.”
“Oh, yes. They are lovely people.”
“And... Theo finally told Phoebe where he stood with her.”
“Wow!” Kate shook her head. “Miracles do happen.” She turned her head and looked at me. “If you don’t mind me asking—you said he was upset last night—what was he upset about?”
“He just...” I didn’t want her to feel any worse than she already was by thinking she was the cause of Theo’s distress.
“Anna told him how I was feeling last night, didn’t she?”
I nodded. “She was just really worried about you.” I rushed to Anna’s defense.
Kate let out an agitated sigh, then abruptly stood up. “Maybe we should head back. I’m feeling quite tired.”
I nodded and shot to my feet. Kate stoically gripped the handle of the stroller as if she was telling this sickness that had taken so much from her that she wouldn’t allow it to take the strength to push her little boy back home.
When we arrived back to Kate’s, she immediately went upstairs to take a nap while I played with Thomas. I was going to miss our little afternoon playdates once I was gone. He was such a beautiful child in appearance and demeanor, always happy all the time. His smile was so familiar, and I couldn’t pinpoint if it favored Kate’s or Theo’s. Maybe it was a mixture of both. His eyes were definitely his uncle’s. Kate’s were a shade of hazel green as well, but they didn’t have that same intensity as Theo’s or Thomas’.
He and Theo would only be a plane ride away, but I knew once I said goodbye to Kate, it might be the last time ever. My eyes and throat burned in unison with that thought, so I tried my hardest to focus on Thomas, playing with his blocks to chase it away. I was happy that I could help in some small way. It wasn’t a glamorous, adventurous vacation by any means, but it was just what I needed at that moment. Time to unwind and escape from the thoughts of my own life, while lending a hand where I could.
Anna came down the stairs, seeming out of sorts. “Kate’s awake and she’s really down.”
“I’ll go up and talk to her. Do you mind helping Thomas finish building his city?”
“Not at all, as long as my old bones will allow me to get down to his level.” Anna eased herself down slowly to the floor as I stood up and headed up the stairs.
When I reached the top of the steps, I gently knocked on Kate’s bedroom door and took a step in.
“Hey,” she said, trying her hardest to form some semblance of a smile, but sadness was written all over her face.
“Are you all rested up?” I asked, taking a seat on the side of her bed.
“For now. Then in about another hour or so, I suppose I’ll be tired once again.” She expelled a frustrated breath.
“Thomas is down there building a giant city. I think we’re going to have to start getting building permits for it soon.” I was so happy I was able to get a genuine laugh out of her. “He’s such a doll, Kate. I can’t believe how smart he is.” I was hoping to lift her spirits by talking about Thomas, but I seemed to be doing the opposite.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, grabbing a tissue and dabbing her eyes.
“Please don’t be. I’m sorry for upsetting you.”
She shook her head. “No…it’s not you.” There was a deafening silence between us, and I wasn’t quite sure how to break it up for fear of saying something that would stir emotions within her once again. I caught a glimpse of her unpainted nails. I knew that going to the nail salon was the last thing on
