Page 14 of Revived

“Okay. Good luck. My son can be a handful…”

“All kids can. But please don’t worry. We had a great time the other day, and I’m sure we’ll be fine tonight.”

Luke sighs. “This is… this is really hard for me, Rachel. I appreciate you doing this, more than you’ll ever know. But it’s going to take some time getting used to.” I can see the apprehension and anguish on his face, so I reach out to place my hand on his resting on the counter, the warmth and buzzing from our skin touching warns me this may be inappropriate, but I know he needs the reassurance.

“I understand. Let me know whatever I can do to make you feel more comfortable.”

“Thank you. I’ll be home around ten thirty,” he says before yelling down the hall. “Grayson!”

The patter of little feet gets louder as Grayson stops in front of us. “Are you ready to see my room, Rachel?”

We both laugh before Luke kneels down in front of his son. “Daddy is getting ready to leave for work now. Be good for Rachel please. She has permission to put you in timeout if you don’t behave, do you hear me?”

Grayson’s head bobs up and down hurriedly. “Yes, Daddy.”

“Alright, bud. I love you. You’ll be in bed by the time I get home, so I’ll see you in the morning.”

The two boys hug each other tight, and I swear, my heart melts at the image. “I love you too, Daddy.” Luke rises and then turns to me, his eyes so full of anguish and confusion.

“We will be fine. Go before you’re late. I remember if the professor was over ten minutes late, the class was cancelled.” I wink at him playfully, which makes the corner of his mouth tip up. It’s not a full-blown smile, but I’ll take it.

“Okay. Thanks again,” he says before turning, grabbing his bag by the door and his winter coat, and then shutting the door behind him.

“Rachel! You gotta see my room…” Grayson whines now, impatient with having to wait so long to show me something that is clearly important to him.

“Okay, buddy. Show me!” He takes my hand in his as he guides me to his room with dark blue walls, super hero posters, and more toys than any little boy could imagine.

Our evening flies by so quickly, full of tantalizing conversation on facts about the human body of course, a dinner of chicken nuggets, carrots, and apples, and bath time, where somehow I end up wearing more water than Grayson.

“Which story would you like tonight?” I ask Grayson as he climbs into his bed with a Spiderman comforter. Clearly the kid likes Spiderman.

“This one. My daddy doesn’t like to read it to me because it makes him sad,” he explains as he shoves the book into my hands. Love You Forever—yeah, I remember how emotional my mother got when she read me this book too.

“Well, sometimes books can make us sad.”

“It’s because my mommy used to read this book to me when I was a baby…” he answers honestly, which piques my interest. I know Luke said he’s a single dad, but he didn’t elaborate on that fact.

“Where is your mommy?” I ask, brushing his blonde hair from his eyes as he looks up at me.

“She’s an angel now. She watches over me from heaven.”

And then my heart shatters in my chest. This poor boy lost his mom at such a young age, he probably doesn’t even remember her. “I’m sorry. She still loves you very much though. You know that, right?”

He nods assuredly. “Yes, I do. My daddy tells me so.”

“Good.”

“Are you gonna be my new mommy?” My stomach plummets with his question.

“No, sweetie. No one can ever replace your mommy. But I will take care of you while your daddy works. We are gonna be the best of friends too. How does that sound?” I say, choking back tears that threaten to fall.

“I like making friends.” He smiles up at me, stealing yet another piece of my heart.

“Me too. Okay, let’s read.”

I manage to get through the book without shedding a tear, but as soon as I close the door to his room and lean up against the hallway just to the right, I let them break free. This poor boy. And Luke. How on earth has he dealt with losing his wife and raising his son all alone? My mind and heart ache for the two of them, only reminding me how fragile this situation is that I’ve immersed myself in.

Once I compose myself and open my eyes, the blonde woman in the frame straight across from me catches my attention, pulling me closer as I study her face. Those dark eyes, that bright hair, that smile—a miniature version of it is sleeping soundly in the room behind me, and it just makes the anguish I feel about their circumstances build. Grayson looks just like his mom, a fact that explains why Luke’s dark features aren’t anywhere to be seen on his boy.

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