Page 121 of Someone to Remember
“You haven’t done anything wrong. You’re doingeverything you can to get through the worst tragedy of your life, and you shouldn’t feel guilty.”
“Do you? Feel guilty at all, being here with me?”
“Only in the sense that changing my mindset from married to single is taking more time than I thought it would. But despite that, I’m single and free to do what I want with whomever I want. As are you.”
“I’m trying to imagine what it would be like to be out with someone who didn’t understand what this is like.”
“It would be even harder than this is.”
The waitress returns with our drinks and takes our dinner order. I order enchiladas, while Angela requests the fish tacos.
“You know what the good news is?” she asks after taking a sip of her wine.
“There’s good news?”
“Always. And the good news is, you loved Mary Alice so much that it pains you to be moving on without her. I’d be concerned if that wasn’t the case, you know?”
“I get that and same goes. Hearing you talk about Spencer has helped me get to know you.”
She holds up her glass for a toast. “Enough of the hard stuff. We’re supposed to be having fun, so let’s get going with that.”
I touch my glass to hers. “I’ll drink to fun.”
“To fun.”
Angela
After the rough start,we manage to salvage our evening. Even though we’re relieved to have the break from our kids, we end up talking about them and sharing funny stories about things they’ve said and done.
I laughed as hard as I have in months when he told me about Drake bringing him the first poop he did in the potty, carrying it like a badge of honor.
Onthe way home, he reaches for my hand again.
“This was fun,” he says. “Thanks for helping me through the rough spot.”
“No problem, and it was fun. It’s nice to get a break from all the things.”
“I don’t know how you do it with three, including a baby.”
“Luckily, he’s an angel, and he’s made it easy on his single mom.”
“Still. Three’s a lot.”
“So is two. Hell, one is a lot.”
“You know what else is a lot? Five. Five is alot a lot.”
I laugh at the way he says that. “Sure is, but we’re a long way from having five kids together, so let’s slow our roll, pal.”
“I’m just saying… If we were to go the distance, there’re five kids waiting for us at the finish line. Is that off-putting for you?”
“Not at all, but you’re the one who would be getting three more, so I should be asking you that.”
“I’m not put off. I already love your kids.”
“Likewise, but this is a heavy topic for a first date between two widows and single parents.”
“Yes, it is, but because we’re widowed single parents, it’s probably never too soon for any topic. Lotta people involved in this friendship of ours. If, say, one of us had an aversion to the idea of raising someone else’s kids, that might be a good thing to learn at the outset versus a few months down the road when everyone is more heavily invested. See what I mean?”
