Page 2 of Love By The Falls

I inhale raggedly. “Yeah. I’ve just been making a lot of them lately.”

“None of that. It’s your birthday. And I’ll bring a large bottle of wine for us to share with Sage tonight. Are you sure you don’t want to go out instead?”

“Very sure. I’ve been looking forward to cooking for my two best friends for weeks.”

It’s the truth. I want nothing more than to prepare and share a good meal with them as I say goodbye to my twenties. Jane and Sage had been there for me when others walked away. I owe them more than dinner.

“Great. Austin will come by around six to pick up Charlie. He’s been looking forward to taking the boys tothe movies. I think he’s more excited to watch the new superhero flick than they are,” Jane chuckles.

“Your husband is the sweetest,” I say. “He’s so great with Charlie, and it’ll be nice celebrating just us girls tonight. I can’t remember the last time we did that.”

Out of the corner of my eye, Savannah approaches my desk. “I’ve got to go, Jane. Thanks for taking care of Charlie’s lunch. I appreciate it.”

“No problem. See you later.”

I hang up the phone and put it back in my purse before turning to Savannah with a smile. “Is everything okay?”

She hands me a thick red tube. I initially mistake it for a red marker, but on closer examination, I realize it’s a liquid stain remover pen. “My mama packs one in my bag whenever I have spaghetti for lunch. You can use it, if you want.”

She looks up at me with her large brown eyes and smiles. My lips tremble, but I press them together. “Thank you, Savannah. That is very thoughtful of you. But my stain is quite large, and I don’t want to waste your pen.”

She carefully curls my fingers over the tube and nods knowingly. “It’s okay, Ms. Tanner,” she says. “You need it more than I do.”

She skips back to her desk, and I blink rapidly, watching her put away her lunch and wonder whetherthe tears brimming in my eyes are from laughter or self-pity.

A bit of both, I think.

*

“Mom, where’s my Captain America T-shirt?”

I add a bit more butter to the pan as I sauté the shrimp. “Pardon?” I say while lifting the pan and tossing the shrimp in two shakes.

“My Captain America T-shirt. I can’t find it.” Charlie’s straight hair is sticking up at the sides, and his flushed cheeks make his brown eyes brighter.

“I don’t know, sweetie. Maybe it’s still in the wash if it’s not in your dresser.”

“Oh, no. I need to wear that tonight. I planned it out with Anthony and Uncle Austin. I can’t go without mine.” Charlie has called Austin ‘Uncle Austin’ since he was old enough to talk. Charlie’s real father left before he was born, and Austin was there from the beginning. Despite us not being blood relatives, calling him Uncle Austin felt right.

“Well, it’s probably not that dirty. You can pick it out from the hamper. It’ll be fine.”

Begrudgingly, he leaves, and I assume fishes through the laundry basket for his favorite T-shirt.

Just as I’m arranging the shrimp on a serving platter, the doorbell rings. “Charlie, can you get that?”

My finger brushes across the hot pan, and I hiss. Ow!

As I run my finger under some cold water, I wait for Charlie to open the door, but he’s still in his room.

Fine. I’ll do it myself.

When I open the door, three smiling faces greet me, and I throw my arms around them.

“Happy birthday!” they chant in unison.

“Thank you. I’m so glad you’re here.”

Looking around, I ask. “Where’s Anthony?”

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