Page 45 of The Girl He Loves

Tyler makes a face. “School at night. No way.”

I chuckle. “I kinda like it. And I can get it done today without any interruptions,” I tease and poke him in the belly.

We talk about Tyler’s dream of making a grand play, and Dax shares how he thought he was going to make one in a big game and tripped over his own feet. His message to Tyler being that there’s always another day to do something grand.

To which Tyler replies, “I might only have today.” And punctuates it with a sad look filled with dreams unachieved.

“I make no promises, but if today goes well,” I say, “then we can talk about next week, too.”

Tyler and Dax pound fists and Tyler runs off to get his football stuff together. ‘Stuff’ being a flag football belt he wore when he and my brother played in the back yard.

“You’re a good mom,” Dax says between shoving chips in his face.

“Maybe. Maybe being overprotective will have negative consequences I can’t foresee.”

“Maybe. But doubtful. Doug and I’ll will make sure he’s okay.”

“I know,” I say. Trouble is, I’m just the right amount of a control freak that I believe only Ican make sure Tyler’s okay to the degree I need him to be.

Doug arrives thirty minutes later. He’s only mildly surprised to see Dax. Probably because my mom already filled him in on Dax showing up the other day.

My brother and I didn’t go to the same college, so Doug only knew Dax from brief exchanges when he would come down to my university to watch games.

“Where’s your van?” he asks me as he’s shaking Dax’s hand.

“In the garage.”

“Dax fixed the opener,” Tyler says.

Doug says to Dax, “I didn’t even know it wasn’t working.”

As if it should matter that Doug needed to explain to Dax why he hadn’t fixed everything in my house.

I roll my eyes.

“I wouldn’t have known it wasn’t working either if her friends hadn’t mentioned it.” Dax places a hand on my shoulder. The gesture makes a statement, whether it be that our relationship is familiar or he’s being possessive. Unnecessary, yet neither feels wrong. “It’s not like she asks for help.”

Doug nods. “She gets her stubborn streak from our dad.”

Our dad is not the most warm and loving father. He works from the premise that if he rules like an authoritarian, then we’ll be good little subjects and do everything by the book. Guess I proved him wrong on that.

Tyler tugs at Doug’s hand. “Is it time to go?”

“In five minutes, Bubba. We need to get some water for you and sunscreen and—”

I hand him a backpack tha was leaning against the wall. “It’s all in here. Even his doctor’s emergency numbers. If something—”

Doug puts a hand up to stop me. “I know. We’ve been through this one thousand times. I’m prepared. I know the drill. I’ll take really good care of him.”

And he will. Because my brother has been wanting his own child for several years and keeps meeting a brick wall. He loves Tyler and would never be careless or neglectful.

“I trust you,” I say. “One day you’ll be a great dad because you’re an amazing uncle.”

Doug smiles. “I’m not supposed to say anything. Kenley wants to tell you and the girls, but there’s a young woman, seventeen, who is having a baby and wants to do an open adoption. She liked our bios and has selected us. This is the one time having an interracial marriage has worked to our benefit.”

Tears of joy spring to my eyes. “Doug, that’s fantastic!” I fan my face to keep the tears from falling. “I’m so happy for you two.”

He points to my face. “Make sure you have that reaction when she tells you.”

---