“Anything for you, baby.”
I smiled, remembering him saying the same thing outside of the Bucksaw the day we met. Back then, even though it was for show, Taylor had made me feel safe. Now, it was reality, and he was still somehow making everything all right.
“Taylor!” Jim yelled from below. “Breakfast!”
Taylor stood, and he dressed in a T-shirt and jeans before pulling a royal-blue ball cap low over his eyes. “You ready? We’re going to kick this day’s ass.”
After a quick shower, I put on my favorite jeans and a pink blouse I’d specially purchased at the ARC Thrift Store for the day I would meet my daughter again. I wanted her memory of me, however fleeting, to be perfect.
Taylor went downstairs, and I spent a little extra time on my hair and makeup. Then I joined Taylor and Jim at the table. Jim was nearly finished with his breakfast when Trenton knocked twice and swung open the front door, announcing his arrival.
“Good morning, Maddoxes!” Trenton paused to acknowledge me. “And friend.” He went into the kitchen where dishes scraped, cabinet doors and drawers slammed, and the refrigerator opened and closed.
“Enough with the friend shit,” Taylor said.
Trenton beamed as he sat in a dining chair between his father and brother with a bowl of cereal. “Oh, yeah? Did you seal the deal last night? Trav said you made her cry.”
Jim smacked the back of Trenton’s head. “Trenton Allen!”
“Ow! What’d I say?” Trenton rubbed the back of his head.
Jim sipped his coffee, trying to smooth the annoyed expression from his face. “Are you feeling better, Falyn?”
“Much. Thank you.”
“What’s the plan today, Taylor?” Jim asked.
Taylor shrugged, looking to his brother. “What are your plans today, dickhead?”
Jim sighed. “Goddamn it! Can’t we have one meal without the language?”
The brothers shook their heads. Jim did, too.
Trenton’s spoon raked against his bowl of cereal. “Work.”
“Are you babysitting today?” Taylor asked.
Trenton seemed confused. “No. Why?”
Taylor shrugged. “Olive’s freaking adorable, and I never get to see her anymore.”
Trenton shoveled a bite of Frosted Flakes into his mouth, considering Taylor’s comment. “I could ask her if she wants to go to the park, if you’re really hell-bent on spending the morning with a five-year-old. I have to be at work later though.”
“Six,” I said.
Trenton blinked.
“She’s six now.”
“Right,” Trenton said. “She just had a birthday last week. It’s going to take me a while to get used to that.”
“The park sounds fun,” Jim said, eyeing me.
I wasn’t sure what he thought he knew, but he was onto us.
“You seem to enjoy spending time with her,” I said.
Trenton grinned. “She’s a cool little kid.” He stood, pulled his cell phone from his pocket, and dialed a number.
“Hey, Trenton,” Taylor began, but someone had already picked up the other line.
“Shane,” Trenton said. “What’s up, buttercup? No. Yeah. Yeah. What’s Ew doing today?”
I looked at Taylor and mouthed the word, Ew?
Taylor shrugged, unsure of the answer.
Trenton nodded. “Yeah, my brother’s in town with his girlfriend. Taylor. Nope, he’s still selling insurance. They both are. Up in Colorado. Pussies.” He shot a smug grin at his older brother.
Taylor wasn’t amused.
Trenton continued his conversation with Shane, “You wanna meet us at the park? Or do you have something going on?”
As Trenton listened to Shane’s response, my stomach sank. Shane and Liza would recognize me. If they came to the park, I wasn’t sure how they would react that I’d shown up unannounced.
“Okay, that’s cool. Later.” Trenton set his phone on the table. “Shane’s at work, and Olive is at home with Liza. He’ll call Liza, and he said we could go pick Olive up in twenty.”
“Sounds good,” Taylor said. “Is Bagby Park still her favorite?”
Trenton smiled. “Yeah.”
“All right. I’m going to pick up some smokes, and we’ll meet you there.”
“Hey,” Trenton said, suddenly serious, “no smoking around Olive.”
“I know, fuckstick. See you in a bit. See you later, Dad.”
Taylor and I stood, and Jim waved good-bye. We walked outside to the car, fingers intertwined. It wasn’t the first time Taylor had reached for me, but this felt different. He wasn’t just holding my hand. He was offering to be a witness to the day I’d change my future and my past.
I pulled the seat belt across my chest, watching as Taylor twisted the key in the ignition.
“Did you bring your phone?” he asked.
“No. Why?”
“Because you’re going to want to take pictures. That’s okay. You can use mine.”
I shook my head. “No. No pictures. Just memories.”
“You sure?” he asked.
I nodded and took a deep breath as Taylor backed out of the drive.
We stopped at the convenience store at the end of the road. Taylor hurried in, bought two packs of cigarettes, and rushed out with them in hand.
I made a face.
He pleaded with his eyes. “I guarantee you, tonight’s poker night.”
“So, you’re going to smoke both packs?”
“Maybe.”
I wrinkled my nose, and he chuckled. He kissed my hand before pulling out onto the road and heading for the park.
The drive to Bagby Park was a short trip, just two miles away. Taylor pulled into the small gravel parking area, and I pushed out the door, feeling the small rocks crunch under my feet until I reached the grass.
“Damn, I haven’t been on one of those in a while!” Taylor said, pulling me to the seesaw. He straddled one end, waiting for me to sit on the other.
“Don’t buck me off this thing. I don’t want to waste the day in the ER instead of spending it with Olive.”
His expression was one of disappointment, but then he laughed. “You know me too well. Glad there is at least one adult in this relationship.”