Page 26 of Instant Bond

“New?” He repeated, looking thoughtful. “Not really. We haven’t had a new kid in class since around, um, maybe Valentine’s Day! That’s when Kelly came. She’s from Kentucky. She talks weird.”

“She talks different,” I corrected him. “People aren’t weird just because they’re different.”

“Well, different, then. But I like her anyway!”

“That’s good.” Brutal honesty was one of the scariest aspects of having a little kid. “I made a new friend, too.”

“You did?” Ty asked, his eyes widening like dinner plates. “Not Hana?”

“Not Hana.”

“Who is it?”

“His name is Karter.”

“Do you guys play with each other?”

Blinking, I cleared my throat. “We talk a lot.”

“Boring.”

“That’s what grown-ups do,” I reminded him. “Talk.” And as far as he would know for what I hoped was a long, long time that wasallgrown-ups liked to do together.

“Well, if that’s what you like, then it’s okay.”

“Thank you.”

At home I made the dinner that Ty asked for, hot dogs and mac and cheese. After we’d eaten, he took a bath, watched some TV, and then I tucked him into bed. I patiently answered all the sudden questions he would spontaneously think of directly before bedtime, and then read him a story off his bookshelf. Bythe time I was finished, he was practically snoring. I slid his door closed, turning the knob to avoid a click that might disturb him.

Taking a deep breath, I did a quick survey of the house to make sure there was nothing that would disturb or distract me. The food was put away, and I’d washed the dishes when Ty was in the bath. There was no laundry in the washer to dry, and no clothes in the dryer for me to fold.

Turning off the overhead lights in the living room and flipping on the lamp on the table next to my couch, I snuggled under the blankets as I made the call to Karter.

“Hey, baby boy.”

KARTER

“HEY, BABY BOY.”

“Hi. I’ve really been looking forward to hearing your voice.”

“I love hearing your voice too,” I told him. “Tell me how your day was.”

He talked to me about Ty and the duck pond, and how he’d chastised a poor old lady at the park for not having proper knowledge on ideal waterfowl diets. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the mental image.

“Everyone’s got their hot button issue.”

“He’s definitely got some strong opinions on the subject,” he agreed. His voice was soft and low. Ty must have been asleep already. “Oh, and your doctor was able to get me in on Monday morning.”

“I can take you,” I said instantly. My doctor’s office was uptown, a good distance from where he lived. The bus would take forever.

“Don’t you have a job or something?” He wondered teasingly. “Besides, that’s totally embarrassing!”

“What’s embarrassing?”

“If I walk in there for birth control, and you’re with me, everyone’s going to imagine us having sex.”

“How would anyone know you’re there for birth control?”

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