Page 68 of Leo and His Love Bunny

I know that there will be hard times, times that aren’t so good, particularly in a family where it isn’t a matter of picking the kids up and taking them back. When you’re with them all the time. People are bound to get on each other’s nerves, but I like this. Like the way it feels.

There’s definitely a part of me that wishes Leo wasn’t so set on no relationships. I think I would suspend my own rule if he would suspend his. But, I feel like he needs to find someone who’s worth suspending his rules for. And obviously, I’m not it. I suppose part of me wants to think it’s because the kiss didn’t mean as much to him as it did to me, but I don’t think kissing is the only thing he’s considering. I think that he needs to find someone who has the kind of character and integrity that matches his.

We take the boys home, and I’m honestly sad to see the day end.

They seem reluctant to get out and go back inside as well, and I feel bad for them. It must be terrible to have such instability in their young lives.

“I probably ought to get out of the car and go say something,” Leo says as the boys jump out and go running to talk to their mother who is standing at the door.

“I’ll go with you, if you want me to come,” I say, expecting him to decline.

“Do you mind?” he asks, and I get the feeling that this is not something he wants to face alone.

I think about the verse in Genesis that talks about how it’s not good for man to be alone. I suppose that means women too. God made humans to pair up. An adult human is supposed to have a help meet to walk through life with. I’m not sure where the idea that we should wait until we’re twenty-five or thirty before we get married comes from, but I know it’s not in the Bible. It seems like God intended for adults to have a partner. No matter what society says. Or what they think the wise thing is.

Here I am, doing exactly what society says, instead of living my life on purpose, thinking about what the Bible means and trying to apply it. I’ll have to think on that one. Maybe I shouldn’t be more concerned about my career than I am about finding a partner to stand beside me since God didn’t create me to live life on my own. And He certainly didn’t make me to pursue a career rather than a home and family.

At least, I can’t think of any verses in the Bible that would back that up. Why hadn’t I thought of that before?

“If you don’t want to, it’s fine,” he says and I realize I am just staring at him, thinking.

“No. I’m sorry, I got a little sidetracked trying to think about something that has nothing to do with anything,” I say, shaking my head as though to shake the thoughts away. “Let’s go,” I say, grabbing the door latch and getting out before he can say anything else. If he wants me, I’ll be there. After all, that’s what friends are for, isn’t it?

We walk up the sidewalk, and Addison lifts her head as she watches us approach.

The arrogant look that had been in her eyes before was totally gone, and she looks like a woman who needs a shoulder to lean on.

I don’t know if she’s a gold digger like Leo thinks or not, but I do believe she sincerely loves his dad.

“Hey,” she says, as the boys get quiet. She looked down at them and says, “Why don’t you guys go in, take your wet clothes off and shower. I’ll be in and we can chat some more about your hike.”

They don’t look happy about it, but they lumber inside, with downturned chins and hunched shoulders.

“It was awfully nice of you guys to take them,” she says, including me in her comment, which kind of surprises me. I was just along because Leo asked. But maybe he wouldn’t have done it without me. I don’t know.

“We had fun. I think they did too,” Leo says, and I can hear the sincerity in his tone.

“Your dad would love to talk to you,” Addison says, and she looks hopeful.

“I have a few minutes, if you don’t mind?” He looks down at me.

I can’t tell whether he wants to or not; I’m game if he is.

“Sure.”

Chapter 30

Nora

Addison moves to open the door and hold it while Leo and I walk in.

“He’s on the couch,” Addison says as we step into the foyer.

It’s quite nice inside. Nicer than my apartment for sure. And nicer than any house I’ve ever been in.

We walk on the tile floor down the hall into a room on the right. Leo obviously knows where he’s going, and I just follow his lead, beside him, but paying attention to his direction.

He slows in the doorway, and I can see his dad on the couch.

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