Arranging Play Dates Part I
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January sat on the balcony with her cell phone and made a phone call while everyone else was inside the hotel room enjoying breakfast and discussing how they were going to spend the day. So far she’d heard the zoo and a picnic.
The call answered on the third ring and her stomach did a guilty flop at the sound of the man’s voice.
“Hello January.”
“Hi Ernst. How are you this morning?”
“I’m okay. How are you?”
“I’m good. Really good.”
“What’s up?”
“Well, after we checked out the house yesterday I went back to my parents‘ place and my mother tore into me again.”
“Why is she such a bitch?”
“Who knows but my automatic response was to go looking for
Kaylee.”
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15:53
“Isn’t she with Gulliver?”
Arranging Play Dates Part 1
“She is.”
“Ah,” his voice softened, “that’s why you’re calling. You stayed with them last night and you’ve decided to give him another chance.”
“It just feels right, Ernst.”
“I appreciate you telling me about it right away, January.”
“Are you angry with me?”
“No, because I was smart and logical and I told you from the front I considered us friends and was not letting my heart get caught up.”
“Are we still friends?”
“Always.”
“Promise?”
“Definitely.” He assured her. “Darwin is really missing Kaylee though.”
“She’s been talking about him nonstop to her cousin Mitsos.
She even went so far as to say they were all going to be besties
forever.” 276
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“Is the cousin moving into town as well?”
“I’m not a hundred percent sure but I know Gulliver is building a house big enough to accommodate his entire family,”
“What about the house you love? It’s a great house!”
“We’re taking it slow. I’m going to move into my house and if things progress, he’ll move in with us, and his family will live in the bigger one.”
“He’s really giving you everything you want, huh.”
“He is.”
“I hope it works out for you, January. You deserve happiness.”
“Want to know a secret?”
“Yes.”
“I’m kind of pissed off I gave in so easy but only because it’s giving my
mother what she wants. She told me yesterday I should sacrifice my own happiness to give Kaylee a two–parent household so that Kaylee’s weekends aren’t split between homes and she could have better access to her.”
15:53
“She doesn’t want you, but she wants you. Interesting. Don’t 3/6
<Arranging Play Dates Part I
sacrifice your happiness to spite her, January. It’s not worth it.”
“Mom!” Kaylee burst onto the patio. “Who are you talking to?*
“Ernst.”
“Is Darwin there?”
“I can get him, hold on.” Ernst was laughing lowly. “He’s in the back yard pouting that he misses you, Kaylee.”
“I miss him too. I wish he were here to go to the zoo with us. Can you bring him?”
Ernst was quiet on the other end of the line and January wondered how annoyed Gulliver would be if the man brought his son with them.
She swallowed her nerves and then suggested, “it’s not a bad idea. If Gulliver is going to be part of Kaylee’s life and Kaylee and Darwin are together, you’ll need to be around Gulliver too. It might be good to meet. You did say yesterday it was your weekend off. I’m sure you have plenty of plans to do.”
“My plans consist of doing laundry of bedding and meal prep for the week, so the zoo would be a good way to procrastinate.” 15:53 Ernst surprised her. “I think you are right that it makes sense 4/6 to meet the father of my son’s best friend and the partner of my
<Arranging Play Dates Part I
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newest close friend. I value your friendship January.” He paused and called out to Darwin, “Darwin, Kaylee is on the phone. She’s asking if we want to meet her in Burlington to go to the zoo.”
The sound of a happy scream as Darwin ran and January couldn’t help but giggle at the sound of Ernst protesting Darwin grabbing his phone.
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