Page 70 of Play With Me

A quiet shuffle sounded from the tent.

“You sure about this?” I asked. “I could ask Jax to come get them as soon as we get a signal tomorrow.”

“Don’t. At this point, it makes more sense for those two to be where we can see them, ya know? I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sophie ran away from home again.”

“Why do you say that?”

“She just seems to have a stronger connection with her uncle. That’s a little sad.”

It wasn’t for me, of course, and on the inside, I gloated. Of course Sophie had a stronger connection with me. I just wished I could explain to Lola the reason why.

“I love you, Uncle Brook,” we heard from inside of the tent.

“I love you too, Sophie,” I called back.

“I love you, Lola.” Sophie raised her voice a little higher.

“Ahm… I love you too, Sophie,” Lola replied.

“I love you, Anna.”

“I love you, Sophie.”

I double-checked the branches bordering our camp and put out the fire before sitting down beside Lola. We snuggled shoulder to shoulder until I put my arm around her so she could find a more comfortable spot. The night was illuminated by the millions of stars above us. Somewhere an owl hooted, and a gentle breeze swayed the half-naked branches above us.

“Do you ever think about having kids?” Lola asked.

“Not really.” It was because I already had a child, but Lola didn’t know that. “But if I were to have a daughter, I’d want her to be just like Sophie. The girl lights up the world.”

“I know what you mean.”

I heard a smile through Lola’s words.

“I thought you hated kids. I recall you calling them little monsters, to be exact.”

“Oh, come on. We both know that I like to exaggerate a little.”

“Were you this time?”

“Of course I was. Brook, we were on an airplane, a thousands of feet up on the air, arguing. I was terrified. I would have enrolled in convent to get off that damn flight.”

“So you’re not opposed to having children?”

“That’s not what I said. Kids are great. They’re awesome when they’re someone else’s, you know.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

This woman was driving me insane, but the more she talked, the more I wanted to find the root of that insanity.

“Never mind.” I paused. “Just tell me that there’s a possibility.”

The wait for her response felt like it lasted forever. In the background, I heard Sophie giggle and Anna shushed her. Lola thought for a longer moment before replying.

“Maybe.”

A maybe from Lola was much better than a flat-out no. “I’ll take that. And I don’t think you would have joined convent.”

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