Page 91 of One Last Time
“You say weird, I say coolest momever.”
Finn rolls his eyes. I take pride in his reaction to my goofiness. I’ve always been this way with him, and it’s kind of our thing. I’m over the top, and he lets me know how uncool I am. “Noway.”
“I’m cool. I’m friends with Noah Frazier, and you’re not.” I stick my tongue out. “That makes mecool.”
“You’recrazy.”
“Don’t make me hug you and yell yourname.”
He puts his hands up in surrender. “Fine. Let’s go havefun.”
Mom winsagain.
We start to walk toward where Aubrey has Noah holding about twenty different stuffed sea animals in his arms. The look of sheer panic in his eyes at my tiny maniac daughter is hilarious. She continues around the bins, stacking the animals higher as Noah followsher.
“Mom? Is Noah yourboyfriend?”
I don’t want to lie to him, but I don’t even know what we are. “No, right now we’re friends who are getting to know each other. But I like him and want you guys to get to know him.” I tell him the kid’s version of thetruth.
“So, you’re not getting a new family, too?” Finn asks with fear in hisvoice.
You would think I just got hit by a car with how much that hurt me. He must be suffering so much with the anxiety he’sfeeling.
“Never. Even if Noah and I decide to become more than friends, you and Aubrey are my family.Always.”
Finn nods. “Okay.”
“Okay, let’s go save Noah before Aubrey convinces him to buy the aquarium.” Ismile.
We walk over and Aubrey looks like she won the lottery. You can barely see Noah’s face over the pile she’saccumulated.
“What mess did you get in?” I ask while biting my lips to keep fromlaughing.
“Mommy, look at all the toys Noah said I can get!” Shetwirls.
I turn and look at him, wondering what exactly he toldher.
“If I say no, she makes this face,” he tellsme.
“Yeah, that’s called being six and a girl.” I start pulling the stuffed animals out of his arms and tossing them back into their bins. “She already knows how to use her cuteness as aweapon.”
I turn to my daughter, prepared to be the bad guy. “No toys, we’re here to see the fish, not create an aquarium at thehouse.”
“Okay,” she says with a dejectedtone.
She’s a mess. Aubrey has this down to a science and is very good at getting what she wants. I couldn’t believe when she was able to do it to my father. He had to stop taking her to stores because she’d come back with a bag full of whatever she asked for. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought he’d never dealt with a little girl before, but according to him, Aubrey is different. My parents were strict with me, but my kids rule theworld.
Noah looks over at Finn. “Have you seen the Harry Pottermovies?”
I hold my breath, hoping Finn gives him a chance. His room is filled with all kinds of things from the books and movies. We’ve gone to the theme park countless times. Finn has read the series, seen every movie, and can probably recite most of thelines.
“Haveyou?”
“Heck yeah!” Noah smiles. “Who is your favoritecharacter?”
“Who is yours?” hecounters.
Noah grins at him. “Sirius. Handsdown.”
