Page 28 of Burden to Bear

“I’m happy when I get to spend time with Uncle Brock.”

Relief swept through me. Maybe I’d be able to make it out of this unscathed. I reached out and gave Izzy’s tiny hand a gentle squeeze and said, “I think you’re a very lucky girl to get to spend some time with your uncle. He seems like a lot of fun.”

“He’s the most fun,” she announced proudly.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the enthusiasm and playful spirit Izzy had. If I’d been feeling any lingering sadness over my current situation, she certainly would have turned things around for me. “I’m glad to hear that.”

When I stood up once again, my eyes met Brock’s. He was staring at me with such concern in his expression. And there was something else there, too. Questions, maybe?

Whatever they were, he didn’t ask them, and I didn’t offer any encouragement for him to do so.

“Well, I should let the two of you get back to your day,” I said softly. “I’ve got to get inside and make lunch.”

“You should have lunch with us,” Izzy declared.

“Oh, sweetheart, that’s very kind of you, but I’m not going to intrude on your time together,” I explained.

For the first time since I’d touched his arm and cut him off earlier, Brock spoke. “We’d love to have you join us. Izzy and I make excellent peanut butter sandwiches, and you’d be missing out if you didn’t experience one.”

My nose stung as my eyes filled with unshed tears. I didn’t have the slightest clue why I was getting emotional. It had to be the hormones.

Whether it was the fact I was hungry or hormonal at what I did next, I didn’t know. But I surprised myself when I blinked back the tears and said, “Peanut butter sandwiches sound fantastic.”

The next thing I knew, I was walking beside Brock while he held Izzy’s hand and led all of us into his house for lunch.

NINE

Brock

“What shape do you want, Mia?”

The corners of my mouth tipped up as I worked in the kitchen, listening to what was happening just a few feet away from me.

I never thought I’d see the day when my niece would be in my house talking to my neighbor. And yet, here I was.

And there she was.

Sitting at the table in the dining area just off the kitchen, waiting to have lunch with Izzy and me, was Mia.

She was doing all of that while she was single.

I still hadn’t quite wrapped my head around that news. Mia had gotten rid of the boyfriend.

Of course, I thought it was great. That guy didn’t deserve her. But I could understand that it must have been difficult for her. In fact, I hated to hear her admit that she’d been sad and had cried.

If I had known, I would have done something sooner.

Granted, I felt an attraction to her, but I wouldn’t have gone in trying to make a move on her. The last thing I’d want is to be a rebound for her. If there was a chance for a real relationship at some point, I wouldn’t be interested in rushing her.

But she’d mentioned they broke up before Christmas. To know she’d been single for months, that she’d spent the holidays alone and upset, was unsettling. She was that close; I could have been there to help her, to offer some comfort. I could have invited her over for dinner on occasion.

While I couldn’t go back and change anything, at least I could do something about it now.

Today, that meant having her over to join Izzy and me for lunch. And my niece didn’t hesitate to make Mia feel welcome.

“I’m not sure I understand, Izzy. What kind of shape do I want for what?” Mia questioned her.

“Your sandwich. Uncle Brock has cookie cutters, so we can have fun shapes when we eat our peanut butter sandwiches,” Izzy explained.

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