“I can’t believe he’s here. I assumed once he found out I was a mom he’d split.” That’s the truth too. He seems like someone who is not ready for that type of responsibility yet, and I don’t mean that in a bad way.
“He really likes you; I can tell. Give him a chance. Seriously, I wish I had a camera on him when he saw Ava for the first time. I swear I could see all of those pearly whites as he smiled at her, and it was genuine.” She walks to the door. “Now let’s go visit.” I follow her out of the room feeling more confused than ever, but that changes.
I step into the living room to find my daughter sitting on Chance’s lap and talking to him. It must be intense because she’s waving her arms and clapping her hands together. “And then Mommy sings to me, and she sounds like an angel. Dats what Papa says.”
“What stories are you telling, love bug?” I sit next to them, and my girl climbs onto my lap.
“She was just telling Chance about your nightly FaceTime chats.” Mom stands. She looks at her phone and then at us. “I need to head back. Come give Nana a hug and kiss.”
After hugs and kisses are exchanged, I turn to Chance. “I’ll be right back.” I look down at Ava. “Stay here with Coco and Chance.” I lead Mom outside. I can feel her eyes on me. “I’m so glad you and Dad are taking this trip.” She loops her arm through mine.
Mom deserves this break after Ava’s accident. She’s been beating herself up about it, even though we all tried to tell her it wasn’t her fault. I’m hoping this cruise will relax the guilt right out of her.
“I’m looking forward to it.” We reach her car, and she pulls me into a tight hug. “I’m going to miss my little love bug, but I’m glad you get to spend some quality time with her. Please check in with your brother. We told him that if he’s staying at the house he can have one friend over, and it must be either Cody or Jonathon.” They’re my brother’s best friends.
“I’ll call him, promise.” He is a little wild, but he’s really a great kid.
“Chance sure is handsome.” Here we go. “They sure didn’t make them like that when I was growing up. Ava was smitten right away, wasn’t she?”
I sigh. “I broke things off with him. It just won’t work.”
“Why, because you have a child?” I nod. “Children are a blessing… Yes, I wish how our love bug came to be was under different circumstances, but they aren’t. People with children date all the time.”
“He’s twenty-one. He should be out chasing sorority girls, not a toddler.”
Mom places her hands on my shoulders. “Who are you to tell him what he should be doing? He obviously showed up because he wanted to see you and meet Ava. Baby, he brought her a present.”
I shake my head. “Nicole set this all up. She told him that Ava was here.”
“Maybe this is his way of saying he not only wants to get to know you better, but to get to know Ava as well. Now I really have to go.” Mom pulls me into a hug. “I love you and have fun. Give love a chance, baby girl.”
I stand on the sidewalk and wave to her just before she pulls away, ignoring those last words she said.
I step into our apartment and find Ava spinning in a circle in the middle of the living room. “Momma, I’m spinning.”
“I see that, but be careful.”
Nicole comes out of her room and scoops up Ava. “Hey, spinny girl. I’ve got to go, but I’ll be back later. Give me a hug.” My daughter hugs her Coco and plants a big wet kiss on her cheek.
“I gonna miss you.” She smiles, and then Nicole sets her down.
“You guys have fun.” Nicole waves and then disappears out of the apartment, leaving Chance, Ava, and me alone.
I sit on the opposite end of the sofa and glance at Chance. He looks at me and smiles. “Hey,” Chance whispers and then holds his hand out.
Do I take it and see what happens, possibly having not only my heart broken but my daughter’s too, or do I not take it and possibly miss out on something that could be the best decision I ever make?
My heart races and my palms sweat as I reach a trembling hand out, sliding my palm against his until our fingers are laced together. Chance pulls me toward him and holds onto my hand as we watch my daughter play with her ballerina teddy bear on the living room floor.
“She looks just like you … beautiful,” he whispers.
I rest my head on his shoulder. “Thank you.”
***
“Is she asleep?” Chance asks as he steps out of my kitchen, holding two sodas.
Today has been such a weird day, but I mean that in the best possible way. I really could’ve killed Nicole for telling Chance about Ava, but honestly, if he isn’t okay with me being a mom then we shouldn’t continue whatever it is going on between us anyway.
After we watched Ava play for a little bit, she got up and grabbed Chance’s hand, pulling him until he got up off the sofa. “Les go wead.” I followed behind them and then watched Chance sit on the floor with my daughter climbing onto his lap. He
