Page 145 of Fresh Canvas
“I’m all packed, Mom.” Anthony lugged his black duffel bag down the hall. I recognized the square indent of his first birthday’s picture frame pressing against the cloth. A warm blanket wrapped around my heart.
“And I found more of Grandma’s socks in the dryer.” His nose wrinkled.
I chuckled. “Toss them with the others. I’ll drop them by the condo tomorrow.”
He turned and threw them into a basket by the hall closet, brimming with odds and ends Mom had left when she moved out. That basket always gave me an ache in my chest, but she had insisted it had been time. Her condo was less than five minutes away, though, and we saw her almost daily.
I crossed my legs, pulling a second pizza box toward me on the carpet. “Do you want more pizza before you go to your dad’s, sweetie?”
Anthony’s mop of light brown hair flopped over his eyes. “Nah. I’m stuffed. Plus Vanessa always keeps a cupboard of snacks for when I visit.”
That same, strange relief filled me.
“I’m glad.”
The doorbell rang.
Val’s hot breath skimmed my ear. “You sure you want me here for this? I’m fine to meet Ryan, but I could take these pizza boxes out the back if you think it’d be better for Anthony.”
I melted at his consideration, but my spine straightened.
“No. I’m not hiding you forRyan’sbenefit. Today was incredible. Anthony is no people pleaser, and I can tell he really likes you.” I stood and dusted my hands on my leggings. “It’s going to be great,” I repeated to myself.
Val gave me an encouraging smile as if to say “You got this,” then reclined on the couch and crossed an ankle over his knee.
To my surprise, Anthony ignored the front door and walked right past me to Val.
“Hey, thanks for taking us paintballing. I mean, you need to work on your aim, but it was fun.” Anthony raised a fist and waited for Val to bump it. Val bumped his fist as he held back a laugh, the same way he’d held back in the paintball arena.
“Noted.” Val nodded seriously, leaning forward. “I’m gonna need your help with that, my man.”
Anthony’s face broke into an excited smile. “I have so many YouTube videos you could watch! I mean, they really helped me out when?—”
The doorbell rang again.
Anthony walked backward toward the door, still rambling to Val. “They’d totally help your technique. Oh, do you like the Vikings? My gramps and I always used to watch them. They’re playing on TV next weekend?—”
I laughed, grabbing Anthony’s shoulders and pulling him into a backward hug.
“We’ll have lots of time for that later,” I said, kissing the top of his head.
The touched look in Val’s eyes almost made me tear up. I hadn’t realized how deeply he had wanted to connect with Anthony—how much this meant to him. I had somewhat thought his enthusiasm had been formy benefit, but it had been also for his—the father figure who never got to be a father.
The doorbell rang for a third time.
I sighed and opened the door.
Ryan’s leather jacket faced the driveway, Ryan’s handsshoved deep in its pockets. He turned and leveled his ocean eyes with mine, his sandy blonde hair artfully styled like always.
“Is Anthony ready?”
“Yup.” Anthony answered as he lugged his bag across the threshold. “Hi, Dad.”
“Hey, bud.” A genuine smile bloomed on Ryan’s face as he tousled Anthony’s cowlick. “You ready to go? Did you remember to pack underwear this time?”
“Yeah, I packed them.” Anthony laughed even as he blushed, attempting to wrestle his dad’s much larger form. Ryan’s boisterous chuckle made Anthony beam with pride.
“Good. Go get in the car, bud, I’ll be there in a sec.”
