Page 109 of Enough
“Whoa…” I say as I hold my hands up. “No one said we were getting married!” I glance over to Nick like,Jeez… what are they thinking?And Nick beams at me. It causes me to do a double take in his direction.
He refocuses on Kale and states, “Right now, that’s not on the table.”
“What is?” he asks.
“I’d like to ask you if you’d be okay with my taking your mom on a date.”
“Just a date?” Kale asks.
Marlow leans farther on the table and yawns again. She doesn’t seem nearly as interested in the conversation as Kale does.
“You want my permission? So it’s my decision?” Kale asks.
“No. Hold on, Kale,” I interject. “What Nick is asking for is really your… blessing. You know that Nick and I knew each other a long time ago, right?”
He nods.
“Well, when we saw each other again, a lot of our old feelings came back. Nick makes me very happy and I’d like to make him happy too. I know it’s hard for you to understand, but—”
“I get it,” he interrupts. “What if he hurts you like Dad did?” I can see the concern in his eyes. He’s worried about me.
“May I?” Nick interjects.
I nod.
“Kale, I know you don’t like to see your mom upset, and I know that it was really hard for you when your parents divorced. My parents split up a few years ago, and even though I’m an adult, it still really upset me too.”
Another thing I didn’t know.
“But I can assure you that the very last thing I would want to do is hurt your mother. She’s always been very important to me. I care for her deeply and I only hope for the chance to prove that to her and to the both of you.”
“Your mom and dad are divorced?” he asks.
“Yeah. It really stunk at first, but now I see that they’re happier apart than they were when they were together. I love them both and I know they love me. Just like they want me to be happy in my life, I want them to be happy in theirs.”
“Does Nick really make you happy?” Kale asks.
Marlow’s head bobs, and she flickers between listening and dozing.
“He really does,” I say.
“Happier than I make you?” he asks.
“Oh, Kale…” I pause. “You make me happy in ways Nick never could. What I feel for him is different from what I feel for you. Nick knows and understands that you and Marlow will always come first. I love you two more than anything.”
Kale smiles and glances to Nick. Nick nods his head. “I’d like to negotiate something,” Kale adds.
Nick motions to him. “You have the floor, sir.”
“If you’re gonna date my mom, then I think you should have to spend time with us too.”
Nick’s lips curl upward into the brightest smile I’ve ever seen. “You have no idea how happy that makes me. I would love to spend time with you guys. Heck, I’d even be willing to spend the night with you while your mom’s at work if that’s okay with her.”
Kale’s eyes bug out and Marlow jumps suddenly at his outburst. “Can he, Mom? Can he?” Kale begs excitedly.
“I think that’s a fabulous idea!”
Kale smiles brightly, and Marlow moves to sit on Nick’s lap. The first ever Haley-Rowen negotiations come to a close with satisfied parties all around the table. Especially me.
