Page 62 of Scoop Me Up
“Gabe.” Her tone was one of surprise and she leaned back from me. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“But this was such a big opportunity for you. I thought you wanted a change.”
With a sigh, I shrugged again. “I did want a change. And then I came to Maplewood and got all the change I could handle.” I was quiet for a moment. “I don’t want to miss seeing Ellie grow up just for a job. They wanted me to move to DC. There will always be jobs out there. For now, I want to be close to the people—the person—that matters most. Ellie.” I cleared my throat, hoping she hadn’t noticed my slip.
“Are you—are you staying in Maplewood?”
“I want to.”
“Is that a yes?”
“I don’t know,” I confessed. “There’s a lot to think about.”
She squeezed my hand again. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out. You always do.”
“Thanks, Jen.”
Over the next week, Sam and I continued to share moments of quiet domesticity, and my decision to stay in Maplewood felt more and more certain. We’d agreed not to make any decisions based off of one another, but that was in the beginning, when it was just a kiss. We’d spent the past two weeks getting closer physically, too. Would they want me to stay now thatour relationship had started to develop? Or were they looking forward to sending me back to Burlington in a few weeks?
Friday was the big day at school—Sam’s last day of teaching, and the read-and-math-a-thon, which honestly was just a big name for kids showing off the skills they’d strengthened in an hour-long open house at the school. I’d agreed to volunteer, though, along with about a half dozen other parents, and I held up my end of the bargain. I arrived at the school just after lunchtime and made my way to Sam’s classroom.
They waved me in and I found there were several other parents in the back of the classroom chatting amongst themselves as Sam gave students instructions. As I stepped in, Ellie lit up and shouted for me, waving furiously.
“Daddy!” She turned back to look at Sam. “Mix, it’s my daddy!”
Sam gave me a soft smile and nodded at Ellie before putting their finger to their lips, encouraging her to be quiet for just a bit longer. When they were ready to wrap up class, they clapped their hands together. “Okay, learners. Who’s ready to read?” The students cheered.
A few minutes later, I had my volunteer assignment and Ellie was leading me down the hall to the cafeteria where I would be selling snacks at the event. I took a seat at the refreshment table next to a pink-haired parent I recognized—Felix Spring, whose kids were Elsa and Arya. Ellie had held several playdates with them.
“Oh hi,” I said as I sat. “I’m not sure if you remember me. I’m Gabe. Ellie’s dad.” I nodded toward Ellie who had run off to talk to someone.
Felix nodded. “I remember. Good to see you again.”
We chatted as we sold baked goods and snacks to parents and students alike. At one point, Sam stopped by to check in on us.
“Everything good here?”
“A-OK,” I confirmed.
Sam put their hand on my shoulder and smiled. I wondered if it looked as casual as I knew he’d intended, or if it looked like more. “Great. Let me know if you two need anything at all.”
The moment Sam left, Felix gave me a little smirk. “Sam, huh?”
“Pardon?”
“I didn’t know you and Sam were a thing.”
“Oh,” I said in a hurry. “We’re not. I mean, we’re just friends. I stay at their house but that’s all. We’re not athing.”
Felix’s eyebrows were raised and he nodded. “Sure.”
Heat flooding my cheeks, I prayed for the read-a-thon to end faster, partially to get myself the hell out of the line of fire, and partially because I wanted to get Sam home for a little relaxation of our own.
By the time another week had passed and Saturday had rolled around, Sam invited me to bring Ellie by the shop. They were going to be painting soon, they’d said, and they’d thought she would enjoy helping.
We arrived at the shop in the early afternoon, Ellie wearing her favorite “get messy” clothes. When we entered the building, I was bowled over by the changes that had already been made. It looked so fresh and modern. Light streamed in through the clean windows, giving the entire room an airy feel. The ceiling was high, with exposed ductwork making the room look industrial. The once-dingy floors were gleaming, the beautiful white countertops had been installed, subway tile lined the walls, and from where I stood, I could see that the kitchen equipment was slowly arriving as well.
