Page 81 of Bound By Redemption
I said nothing just nodded as Micah opened the door and I went in first. That was something else I was getting used to. Micah opening the doors for me. Every time, even if I were putting Remy in her car seat, he would wait for me to get to the door, then open it for me. He’d wait until I was safely in and shut it.
Personally, I’d only seen this done in movies. While I didn’t say anything to him about it, I absolutely loved it.
The noise was deafening with rolling balls, striking pins and cheers all around. There was even music playing.
“They’re havin’ a party here.” Micah said looking around the space. He wasn’t wrong. The light was dimmed just enough to give the illusion of darkness. Lights of different colors swirled around the ceiling. Off to the left was a bar and off to the right were the alleys.
Searching for Gladys, I finally spotted her four lanes down. “Number four.” I told Micah as we started making our way.
Gladys had her ball in hand, standing and peering down at the pins as if they were the devil’s spawn and she wanted to kill them all. She was a bit competitive. Who was I kidding? She was very competitive.
Gladys took two steps, swung her arm back then forward releasing it down the lane. We stood behind the small wall that was blocking the walking area from the actual place the bowlers sat. There were even chairs up there for people to hang out and watch.
Yes, this place was awesome.
We waited on bated breath watching the ball roll. The ball connected, knocking all the pins down. Gladys turned around, arms in the air, hands opened wide, “Strikey, Strikey, Whoohoo!” She yelled then started this dancing as the other women and two men got up and did the same thing.
It took a moment before she saw us standing smiling at her. Her eyes went wide as she stared at the man beside me holding our little girl. When her eyes came back to me, she was already on the move stomping her little self our way.
There was something about height when you got older. It was like you shrank the more years you tacked on. Micah appeared like a giant next to all these people.
“Down. Gee!!!” Remy yelled, kicking her feet and Micah bent over, putting her little feet onto the floor. She instantly took off right to Gladys and wrapped her little arms around her legs. Not much longer and Remy would be at the woman’s waist for sure.
“There’s my girl!” Gladys cooed bending down and kissing Remy on the top of her head.
“And who do we have here?” Gladys asked coming to stand in front of Micah who towered over her.
This was it. The moment of truth. The one I’d been sweating bullets about.
Remy grabbed hand saying, “Dis is Daaadeeeeee.”
Gladys’s eyes shot to me and I gave her a soft smile. “Gladys, this is Micah. Remy’s dad.”
Gladys stood there for a moment unable to say anything. When she turned around and went back down to where the balls were, I was seriously stunned. Gladys never shunned anyone. She said what she needed to say no matter what.
This wasn’t going good.
Gladys went straight up to a man with a golf cap on. She said some things to him and he nodded. Gladys then turned and marched to us. When she got to Remy she said, “Let’s go play!”
“Me pay now!!!” Remy yelled over all the commotion and eyes came to us.
We paid no mind to it, because we were following Gladys out the door. Micah grabbed my hands and squeezed it. When I looked into his eyes, there was so much question there. Questions that I didn’t have answers to. I had no idea what was going on so I shrugged my shoulders.
During the small walk, Gladys talked to Remy like she always did and when we arrived at the playground, Remy took off like a shot.
Gladys moved to a table that had four chairs around it. “Come on. You got some explainin’ to do. And you’re holdin’ her hand.” Her words were accusatory.
This was not like the Gladys I knew. This was the hard exterior. Was it wrong to love it and hate it at the same time?
Loved it because she was looking out for Remy and I. Hated it because I really wanted her to like Micah.
Micah pulled out two chairs and Gladys moved to one, I moved to the other and we sat. “Manners. That’s somethin’.”
Micah sat between us, his eyes scanning the playground for Remy. Once he saw her, his body lost a bit of the tension.
“Gladys. This is Micah. Micah this is Gladys.”
“Nice to meet ya ma’am.” My heart melted. Yes, I really loved this man.
