Page 17 of Uproot

I look in my rearview mirror, forgetting what strong hearing children have when the topic is none of their business. "Yeah, little man. She is coming over," I answer, focusing back on the road.

"Alright," Helen responds, on the other end of the phone. "I have a pen and paper ready. Just give me your list, Sir."

???

Twenty minutes later, I'm sitting with Edison in my makeshift office at the dining room table. He's having a snack while I help him with an activity packet that Selah put in his backpack for him to complete.

Most of it is very basic math, but I'm surprised to see a bunch of sight word practice and other reading assignments.

"I can't believe you are doing all of this in kindergarten. When I did Kinder we were barely learning the alphabet, and kids were still eating crayons," I say, shaking my head. "And that was at a private school."

"Eww," Edison laughs, continuing to write.

He puts his pencil down, his mouth dropping into a frown, "I'm not as good as the other kids with my writing, and I was behind with my homework until Ms. Selah helped me," he admits sadly.

I sit back in my chair, "Well we will get you caught up to the other kids level. When you're done with this assignment you can play on the new tablet I have for you. I have a bunch of learning games on there that I downloaded that will help you out."

He taps his pencil against the table, "I don't know how to use a tablet. I only ever played games at school on Ms. Selah's computers," he says.

"You've never had a tablet, or gaming system?" I ask.

"No," he responds, looking suddenly uneasy. "I..had an X-Box once at my house. But my dad took it when I was at school one day, and I never saw it again. I don't know why."

Of course.

I can use my imagination to guess where that was sold to, and for what.

"Well you have your own tablet now. And no one will take it from you. I promise," I assure him.

We finish up his work and snack, then I show him the basics of using his tablet. I gave him one of our easier to navigate models that I had overnighted from my New York office. He picks it up pretty quickly, and finds a game that he can follow along with to work on his reading.

Helen comes over with the groceries I asked for, and I have Dragana sit with Edison while I go prep dinner. I decided tomake pesto chicken, which is the quickest thing I could put together that I knew I didn't have to worry about burning down the kitchen preparing.

It takes me a little while to orient myself in the rental's kitchen, trying to find the pots and pans that I need. I pour myself a glass of wine and turn on some music as I start to prepare the chicken. I season it and start to get the pasta together while I get into a good rhythm.

When the food is done I go to check on Edison then change into a different outfit. I try to convince myself it's because my shirt is a bit messy from the long day, but really I just want to make sure that I look put together for Selah.

At 5:55 the doorbell rings, and I go to answer it, quickly looking around one more time to make sure that the house looks in order.

Selah stands on the other side of the door wearing a long purple dress and sandals. Her hair is loose from the bun it was in earlier, and her beautiful curls are on display. She’s holding a plate of cookies in her hands that are wrapped in plastic.

The words I was about to say drift from my mind as I feel the same foreign spark run between us as I stare at her.

"Beckett?" she asks quietly, shifting on her feet.

I clear my throat, shaking my head and stepping back to let her inside.

"Come in sweetheart."

10

Selah

"Come in sweetheart."

I fight the smile that pulls at my lips, knowing that this is no time to get all gushy over the sweet nickname Beckett has suddenly given me.

This man has such an intense personality, and for all I know he calls every woman that he comes in contact with, "sweetheart".

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