My concentration was broken when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw Evelyn's name across the screen. Hesitating for more than one reason, I convinced myself that five minutes before the bus was scheduled to pick my kids up wasn't a good time to take a call. I sent her to voice mail and hoped she didn't take it personally.
My phone went back in my pocket and I zipped up Jaxy's lunch box, setting it in front of him on the bar just as Ruby emerged from her room again, this time dressed for school.
"Oh, look. You managed to find some clothes to wear."
"Barely," she mumbled under her breath. The closer Ruby got to preteen, the mouthier she became.
"I think you look nice," I offered sincerely.
"This skirt squeezes my fat belly." Her eyes cast down over her body.
Red flags were flying in my mind. Lately, Ruby had become more and more aware of her body, and I'd known this was coming, but that didn't mean I knew how to handle it. Ruby wasn't overweight, not by a long shot. Honestly, her stomach was the softest part of her, but it wasn't something she needed to worry about.
"Ruby," I said gently as I ran a hand down the back of her hair. "Your belly isn't fat. You're not fat. You're beautiful. If the skirt doesn't fit, we can find something else."
Her eyes slowly met my gaze and she looked sad. "It's okay, Daddy. I don't have any time left." She turned away and locked her gaze on her brother. "Jax, let's go. And don't try to sit next to me on the bus this time."
Jaxy simply walked behind her, mimicking her with a high-pitched, singsong voice. I smiled because little brothers were jerks. I followed them until I got to the threshold of the house, then leaned against the doorjamb, keeping a safe distance. Ruby had informed me earlier in the school year that it wasn't cool to have your dad at the bus stop. I told her I wasn't about to let them wait unsupervised, to which she rolled her eyes. We compromised by agreeing I'd wait at the door. Luckily for Ruby, the bus stop was at the end of our driveway.
The bus came, collected my children, and drove away while Jaxy waved at me from the window. Taking one last sip of coffee from my mug, I grabbed my keys and headed out the door.
Before we moved to Florida, I'd had a suit-and-tie job as a business consultant. It had been really good money and that was mainly what kept me there. Raising a family was expensive and Olivia had wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. But in Florida, my priorities changed. I was the only parent they had left and I couldn't spend fourteen hours a day at a desk anymore. When I was ready to go back to work, my dad offered me a position at his hardware store. He'd built a thriving business, and every summer from ages thirteen to eighteen I'd worked for him. He'd always wanted to pass the business down to one of his children, and was more than happy to hire me when I needed a job.
Working for my dad allowed me to leave the house after the kids got on the bus, and to be home in time to make sure they ate dinner and finished their homework. Four days a week the kids were dropped off at a care center until I could go get them after work. Jaxy still liked going there, but Ruby was reaching the age where she definitely didn't think she needed a babysitter. There were a few kids there her age, but not many, and I knew she hated it. I also knew that once she hit sixth grade, I'd have to let her stay home alone after school.
I parked my SUV and walked toward the happy-looking building where I could hear the elated screams of children playing on the playground out back. It wasn't quite spring yet, so the temperature was still cool enough that playing outside was feasible.
I pulled open the door and anticipated the cool rush of air that blasted me in the face. Air-conditioning was no joke here. Approaching the front counter, I tried to keep my head down, not wanting to bring too much attention to myself. But my efforts to remain unseen didn't work-they never did.
"Mr. Roberts." I heard her overly friendly voice coming from the office to my left, then heard the slap of her heels on the linoleum floor. I kept my gaze down on the sign-out sheet. "I was beginning to worry about you. Running a little late today." Candace was, for all intents and purposes, a very nice woman. She was probably just a few years younger than I was, pretty in the I-spend-an-hour-in-front-of-the-mirror-every-morning-to-look-like-this way, and very, very persistent. When the kids first started going there, she immediately tried to catch my eye. I wasn't in a good space then, and turned her down, eventually having to straight-out tell her my wife had just died and I wasn't looking to date anyone. She'd obviously taken that as an indication that when I was ready to date, she'd be up first.
"Traffic," I replied evenly, finally bringing my face up and meeting her gaze, giving her a forced smile.
"Jaxy is full of energy today." She laughed. "But that's not different from any other day, I suppose." She crossed her arms and leaned down on the counter, her low-cut shirt falling completely open as a sly grin spread across her face. "I get off in twenty minutes. Maybe we could all go to Joe's Pizza and let the kids play video games while we sit and have some adult conversation."
It had been a while since Candace had asked me out, and I'd hoped she'd gotten the hint, but apparently I was going to have to find new ways to turn her down. "It's a school night, and the kids still need to do their homework." I gave her another forced smile and entered the security code on a number pad that opened the gate to the part of the facility where the kids were.
"Pity," she said with an exaggerated pout forming on her lips. "Maybe some other time."
I didn't answer, just kept walking, hoping she'd think I hadn't heard the last part. I wasn't accustomed to telling women I didn't want to date them. Candace was pushy, but she didn't mean any harm. One day, I'd have to just tell her, straight out, I wasn't interested in her.
"Dad!" Jaxy saw me through a window and ran inside, greeting me with a big hug. Ruby wandered in slowly, but still managed a halfhearted side hug. I'd take it. I'd take any show of affection from my moody preteen.
"You guys ready to go home?" I asked, my arms still wrapped around them.
"Yeah," Jaxy said.
"Definitely," Ruby added.
I laughed.
"Let's go then."
"Okay, kids. Homework time," I said as I placed the dinner dishes in the sink. It had been spaghetti night. I wasn't a master chef, but there were a few dishes I managed without burning the house down that tasted decent. They were on a weekly rotation and when the kids got tired of the same seven meals, I tried to throw something in to surprise them. The surprises only worked out about 50 percent of the time. The other 50 percent were pizza nights after my failed attempts ended up in the trash.
Schoolwork was one area where both the kids excelled. Rarely did I ever have to get after them to do their homework, and I enjoyed helping them if they needed it. They each grabbed their backpacks, took a stool at the bar, and made themselves comfortable. As I did every evening at homework time, I poured them each a glass of chocolate milk. In about a half hour, I'd pop some popcorn and let them munch on it as they worked.
"What do we have going on this evening?" I asked as I set the glasses down in front of them, flinging a kitchen towel over my shoulder.
"I have to read this story about the Oregon Trail and then write a paragraph about it," Ruby said, holding up a small book.
"I can sum up the Oregon Trail in two words: wagons and dysentery."
"What's dis-sin-tury?" Jaxy asked, slowly pronouncing the unfamiliar word.
"It means they pooped themselves to death." Both kids immediately broke into fits of giggles and I leaned back, watching my children laugh. Even if it was at the word poop, I could listen to them laugh forever. When the laughter died off, and it took a few minutes, I asked Jaxy, "What about you? What are you working on this evening?"
"I have a math packet," he replied, opening his backpack. "Oh, and Miss Richards sent home this letter."
My gut immediately dropped. Letters from teachers were notoriously bad things. My mind buzzed with what Jax could have done and how much trouble he might be in.
"What'd you do?" I asked, my tone indicating I believed him already guilty.
"Nothing, I swear! I was just sitting at my desk and Miss Richards told me there's a letter in my bag for you. I didn't get into any trouble." He shoved the envelope at me like it was proof of his innocence.
I took it from him with a skeptical look, but proceeded to open it.
Dear Mr. Roberts,
It is with great excitement that I write to inform you of Jax's invitation to join the Talented and Gifted Program at North Elm Elementary. Jax has always been a bright student, so I am not surprised he has earned this honor. I would like to discuss plans with you at a parent/teacher conference. Please e-mail me to discuss possible meeting times.
Jax is a pleasure to have in class and I can't wait to help him with this next big step in his education.
Best Regards,
Miss Richards
2nd Grade Teacher
North Elm Elementary
I read the letter once, and then I read it again. I looked up to Jaxy, who had started his math worksheet, obviously not caring too much about what the letter said.
"Jaxy, this letter says you got into TAG."