Flynn(23)

“I didn’t get the hang of it the first time either,” she said. “Let’s give it another try.”

“Don’t want to.”

“You can do it. I know you can.”

“Cannot.” She stomped her feet on the ground.

“Emily, you have to try.”

“Don’t want to. It’s stupid.”

Emily picked up the wool and threw it at Natalie just as Flynn walked through the door.

“Hey, just what do you think you’re doing young lady?”

“It’s stupid. I can’t do it.’

“No one can do something on the first try, that’s why we have to learn,” said Flynn.

“I won’t do it, I won’t do it.”

She picked up the needles and hurled them at her father. He ducked out of the way but one caught his cheek and made it bleed. He wiped it with his fingers and looked at it.

“How dare you do something as dangerous as throwing something sharp at a person. Go to your room and stay there, okay. I’m tired and I don’t need your crap.”

She didn’t argue with him but stormed out of the room. A door slammed shut a few minutes later. A painting fell from the wall to the ground. Flynn took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair.

Natalie guessed she’d been around long enough now to see all the frustration that Flynn had to deal with as a parent. Everything she hadn’t while she’d gotten on with her life and career. She suddenly felt guilty.

“I’m so sorry about that,” he said.

“Nothing to apologize about. All kids get frustrated, and she’s no different.” Natalie stood and walked over to him. “Let’s get that cleaned up,” she said pointing to the gash on his face.

They walked out to the kitchen and Natalie reached for a paper towel and ran it under the tap and then dabbed it on his cheek.

“I guess it was my fault for being an awful teacher,” she said.

“No, she gets like that when she gets frustrated. She thinks she can do something right the first time. Shit, none of us can do that, but she doesn’t understand it and thinks it’s because she has Down’s. She wants to be like other kids and can’t understand why she isn’t.”

Natalie swallowed the lump forming in her throat. This man had dealt with a lot yet he was kind and patient. Maybe that’s why she was falling in love with him.

Falling in love. Yeah, that’s what was happening.

“Will she be okay?” asked Natalie, trying to stay focused on the moment.

“Sure. She’s gotten a little worse since she started her periods. I think it’s getting close to that time of the month.”

Her daughter was already a woman.

“Yeah, I’ve been known to throw a few things when I have PMS,” she said.

“Thanks for warning me. I’ll get my safety hat and goggles ready.”

They laughed and he kissed her. He pulled the blouse out from her waistband and pushed his hand up her back. The thought of them having sex again, excited her. Her nipples hardened, her pussy pulled and…

“Daddy.”

They both pulled away quickly like two kids caught by their parents.

“Honey, I told you, you had to stay in your room.”

“I wanted to say I’m sorry.”

“Then that’s different,” he said. “For that I’ll make an exception.”

“Can Natalie come to Gran’s café and teach me to knit tomorrow?”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea,” said Natalie.

She walked over to them and threw her arms around both them. For the first time the three of them were together as one. A mass hug, her daughter, and the guy she’d fallen for.

“It’s okay to kiss again because I’m going to my room,” said Emily.

She turned and simply walked away.

“My daughter says it’s okay to kiss, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do to you,” said Flynn.

****

Flynn smiled when he entered his mother’s café the following day and saw Emily holding up three rows of knitting to him.

“Look, I’m knitting,” she said. “Natalie’s a good teacher. She should teach everyone how to knit,” said Emily, now showing the rest of the customers her handiwork.

Natalie was standing by the counter wearing jeans and a sweater and looking at Emily with pride as if she was her own daughter. She loved her. It was written all over her face.

She looked at him and he winked before mouthing, thank you.

“So what do you think of your granddaughter’s new talent?” he asked his mother. She stopped wiping down the counter and looked up at him.

“I’m putting in a request for socks to wear to bed so I can keep my feet warm.”