Page 55 of Forfeits

One day I would tell her that we’d already been dating and that she helped get us back together. Whatever happened, I knew Aiden and I would always be friends—and maybe this thing had longevity. It was too soon to tell.

“You should invite him over here. I could have McDonald’s early and you could make Aiden supper,” she said, passing me another string of lights.

“How did I know you’d figure out a way to get McDonald’s?”

She shrugged. “I’ll make the sacrifice.”

We hadn’t been back to the Bordello, but it was only a matter of time. And my mood was much improved. I realized that, as much as I sometimes felt I should sacrifice my own fulfillment for Lucy’s sake, keeping myself happy and having my needs met benefited her, as well as it benefited me. My therapist had pointed that out when I’d told her what had happened.

“Fletcher, it’s that analogy of the plane going down and making sure you put your own oxygen mask on first. If you’re not functional and happy, nobody else will be.”

“Yeah. I’m starting to realize that.”

“You can’t possibly be there for every little thing Lucy goes through, nor should you be. She’s growing up, and she’s going to have to figure some things out for herself. Even if Daniel were alive, he wouldn’t be there for everything either.”

All of that was true. But it was hard to keep that perspective when I felt that Lucy had been so cheated by fate.

My phone chimed mid-morning and I grinned, thinking it was Aiden.

But it was my father-in-law, Brian.

Fletcher, Annie and I would like to have lunch with you tomorrow, if you’re free. We have some things we’d like to discuss.

Something felt off about this text.

Of course. Where would you like to meet? And with or without Lucy?

Won’t she be in school?

Yes, but I can pull her out for the afternoon.

No. That’s fine. It’s better we discuss without her.

Okay. Now I was getting warning bells. A deep sense of foreboding formed in my belly.

Daniel’s parents were wonderful people and had been a lifesaver after his death. They’d helped a lot with Lucy, even looking after her for a few months while I recovered from the shock of Daniel’s death and completed all of the practical requirements of burying my spouse. They’d contributed to the cost of his casket and the funeral, which I hadn’t realized would be such a huge expense.

Brian and Annie Marin were a big part of Lucy’s life, and I was grateful for the monthly weekends they had her to their bungalow in the west end and for the two weeks that they had her to their cottage in the summer. It gave me a much-needed break from the strains of being a single parent.

But now I was wondering what this meant. Maybe they wanted to set up another tax-free savings account for Lucy’s education and needed my consent for the form. It could be anything, but they’d never actually requested a formal meeting with me like this.

My phone chimed again. This time it was Aiden and my mood immediately improved. I decided that I was overreacting to my father-in-law’s unexpected request.

Hey there. How’s my favorite editor slash single parent?

Gm. I’m good. How are you?

Horny. I’m so horny. Eggplant emoji. Fire emoji. Sad face emoji.

Laughing face emoji. Get a hold of yourself.

Heart eyes emoji. Okay. If I must. Eggplant emoji. Hands together emoji.

Is that a prayer or masturbation?

A little bit of both?

Lol. Good luck.

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