Page 16 of Kane's Awakening
“Daddy!” Theo ran out the front door and leapt off the porch, his dark hair blowing in his face due to the windy day. When he was close enough, he threw his arms around my waist and held on tight.
I returned his hug before picking him up and swinging him around a bit as he giggled. I wouldn’t be able to do that anymore in a few years when he got bigger. He might’ve been toooldfor kisses, but apparently not for being swung in my arms.
We went into the house, and he grabbed my hand to lead me to the kitchen table.
“Come see what I did in school today!” he said, practically bursting from the seams. Once at the table, he pulled a chart out of his backpack and laid it down. “Look! I got a perfect score.”
He’d memorized the periodic table of elements. The kid was too smart for his own good, and he was only eight.
“Yeah, you definitely got your momma’s smarts, kiddo,” I said with a chuckle and kissed the top of his head. “I’m proud of you.”
“Dad, no kisses.” He scrunched up his face and swiped his hand through the top of his black hair.
“Rye, is that you?” Anna called as she came into the room. “Yay, you’re here. Food should be done soon. Wanna help me set the table?”
“Of course.”
She’d cooked Salisbury steak with gravy, mashed potatoes, and fresh green beans for dinner. Apart from the food—which was always great—I highly enjoyed the company and conversations when I visited. I loved hearing about my kids’ day at school and how they were doing.
I liked talking to Brian as well and discussing things in his life. He worked as a real estate agent and was a master negotiator. I bet he could’ve sold a house to anyone.
Anna was a stay at home mom, but I knew that job wasn’t as easy as it sounded. She was like super woman, and I couldn’t have asked for a better mother for the twins.
After we finished eating, Brian and I helped her clean-up as the kids went to do their homework.
“So, are you going to tell him?” Brian asked with a smile in his voice.
“Tell me what?”
Anna nibbled her lip and looked away. She loaded the last plate into the dishwasher and started it before wetting a rag and wiping down the counters.
“Anna banana…” I used her childhood nickname, one I knew always softened her up. “What are you hiding?”
“Oh. Nothing,” she answered, focusing on me with too-innocent eyes. After a few seconds of eye contact, she caved. “Ugh. Fine. You’ll find out eventually, so I might as well tell you. But you have to promise not to get mad.”
When she left the kitchen, I followed her into the living room. Brian did the same and coughed to cover up a laugh. I cut my eyes at him. Anna grabbed her laptop from the coffee table and held it to her chest, looking at me.
“Promise,” she said.
This must be bad.
When I went to argue, she pointed her finger. “I won’t tell you until you do.”
“Okay,” I said begrudgingly. “I promise.”
She smiled and plopped on the couch, patting the spot next to her. After opening the computer and typing in a web address, she said, “All right. You know how I’malwayson your cute butt about getting out more and meeting people? Well… I did a thing.”
When she tilted the screen my way, my mouth went agape.
“You put me on a dating site?” I asked, flabbergasted. “And you filled in my profile? Christ, Anna. What did you put?”
I moved the laptop closer so I could see. At least she’d used a decent picture of me. It was one she’d taken around Christmas of me in a dark gray sweatshirt, and my smile wasn’t entirely goofy. I could’ve benefitted from a shave, though. My insecurity level was too high to be placed on a site like that, and Anna knew it, but it hadn’t stopped her.
At the top it read:Looking for Mr. Right.
I groaned, afraid to read further.
“Don’t look at me that way, mister,” she said. “It’s for your own good. You’ve already gotten four messages.”
