Page 10 of Succeeding Love
That’s true. Jessie sleeps in the guest room when she goes over, and the few times Nick has gotten Preston to stay, he’s slept on the pullout couch in Arlene’s office. He really needed a place where the kids could have their own space.
“Arlene won’t be living there at all. We decided we both needed our space. She won’t even have a key.”
“That seems extreme. Why wouldn’t she have a key?”
He shrugged. “What’s the point of getting my own space if I give her a key?”
It sounds like their relationship is regressing, but that is none of my business. I’m sure Nick doesn’t want relationship advice from his ex-wife, and I don’t want to offer any, so I’m choosing not to ask any more questions.
“Would you like me to make a to-go container for you?” I asked again as I moved across the kitchen to the pan of lasagna. I began dividing the remains into sections for tupperware.
“No, thanks,” he eyed the tomato sauce warily.
I smirked to myself. I knew he still didn’t like lasagna. Too bad, because there was a lot of it left over, and tomorrow was Friday. Both kids will be with him for the weekend, so the leftovers I can’t eat will go to waste. I could freeze some....
Or maybe they don’t have to go to waste after all….
“Kevin,” I murmured under my breath, thinking out loud.
“Huh?” Nick furrowed his eyebrows.
“Oh, I was just thinking about taking Kevin for a walk,” I said, embarrassed that I was talking to myself, thinking out loud again.
“I can come with you,” Nick offered.
“Seriously?” I sent him a dubious look. He has never taken my dog for a walk, or gone for a walk at all in this neighborhood since the kids were toddlers.
“Why not?” He had a hopeful glint in his eye that made me feel uneasy.
“I like my walks alone with Kevin. It gives me time to breathe and think. And you are supposed to be spending time with the kids. Preston is probably in the den watching baseball if you want to join him.”
Nick grunted, then stood quietly, watching me as I divided up the lasagna, putting half of the leftovers in a large Rubbermaid container to take across the street, and the rest into smaller containers to freeze. I was dumping the remaining garlic bread into a ziplock bag when Nick spoke again.
“I’d really like it if you could come with me tomorrow, Fay.”
My mind was thinking of Kevins, both canine and human, and was wondering if it would be appropriate to pack a slice of the cheesecake too, given that it was technically a birthday gift. It took me a minute to register that Nick was talking about the condo again.
“I can’t, Nick. I’m sorry.”
“It would only take a few hours in the morning. We could stop at the fondue place you like for lunch and-”
“Nick,” I stopped him, not wanting to hear any more. “I can’t. I won’t. I’m really sorry, but that’s just….. It’s too much.” I stared back at him, imploring him to understand.
“But it was our dream,” he whispered, reaching out to take my hand.
I pulled my hand away as quickly as he took it. “All those dreams died the moment you told me you didn’t love me anymore.”
Left Overs
Nick went to watch the game with Preston like I suggested, giving me space to pack the rest of the dinner I planned to take over to human Kevin and his mother.
Kevin was pacing by the garage door, knowing the routine. I had a grocery tote with the lasagna at the bottom, garlic bread on top of that, and then a thermal bag with half of the chocolate pie in a plastic container and the rest of the salad in another. It was a full meal, enough to feed three or four people.
After checking in on Nick and the kids, seeing that they were alright, I took Kevin and the bag and headed out, going straight towards the Trude’s home. The lights were on, which I was grateful for. The sprinklers came on at night, making her walkway slippery in some spots. She had tripped on those slick spots in the past, and I’d lost my footing a time or two. Maybe her son could do something about those spots now that he was living with her.
I rang the doorbell, expecting Velma to answer, but I was face to face with human Kevin once again.
Having to turn my face up so suddenly to greet him, “Wow, you’re tall,” slipped out of my mouth before I could stop myself.