Page 25 of The Persistence of Thornes
I dip my chin. “Thanks for having me.”
He plucks the rag from his shoulder, wiping at his fingers. “You want a glass of wine? A beer?”
“Wine would be great.”
Seda and Soleil scurry over to where their brother is playing in his toddler-sized ball pit in the corner of the living room. He throws one, and it hits Seda square in the forehead, but as I step into the kitchen, my little girl is unfazed, greeting the little guy with a hug.
“Hi,” Salem says, pulling the lasagna out of the oven. “I’m glad you could come.”
“I’ll never say no to lasagna.”
Unless my mom makes it, but it has nothing to do with her cooking skills. No, it’s because every time I go over to their house, I’m subjected to a lecture. Even now that I’m pushing thirty, she still treats me like a child whose every move needs to be guided.
“Everything is ready. Want to toss the salad while I get the kids’ plates fixed?” she asks, setting the pan down on a hot plate.
Without hesitation, I work to assemble the makings they’ve prepped and set out on the counter, only pausing when Thayer holds a glass of wine out to me.
“Thanks.” I lift my glass in his direction. “Oh, and thanks for tending to Halle’s yard.”
“It wasn’t a problem,” he says, heading out of the kitchen. A moment later he returns with a giggling Samson tossed over his shoulder. “In you go.” He sets the kid in his highchair and snaps his wriggling form into it in record time.
Sam finally notices me, reaching his chubby hands out. “Cal! Cal!”
“Hey, buddy.” I bend down, meeting his eyes, and ruffle his hair. “What have you been up to today?”
“Snacks,” he answers.
Salem laughs from where she’s dishing out lasagna. “If the kid isn’t walking around with a cracker in one hand and a drink in the other tormenting the pets, then I swear he’s not happy.”
“Aw, that’s not true, is it?”
He giggles in response.
“All right, kids,” Thayer hollers. “Get in here and grab your plates.”
Seda and Soleil tumble into the kitchen, dashing for Salem, and with a warning to walk carefully and use both hands, they take their plates to the table.
As I watch, an ache settles deep in my gut.
I’ve moved on from Salem.
I loved her, a part of me will always love her, but I realize now that she’s not the love of my life. We never had the connection she shares with Thayer.
But I want that. A soul-deep special kind of connection.
And I missthis. The kids. Having a family to come home to every night.
Sure, I’m young.
I have plenty of time to find the right person. To settle down. Have more kids.
But some days the life I want feels out of reach, and it hurts.
“Here’s your plate, Caleb,” Salem says, breaking me out of my thoughts.
I take it from her with a quiet “thank you” and sit beside Seda.
Samson bangs his fists on his tray. “Lagna! Lagna! Lagna!” he demands.
