Page 30 of Where It Begins

Over the next several weeks, Sidney and I go on a handful of dates. Unfortunately, private time is scarce, and our kids thwart every plan to go back to either of our places.

Violet needs to be picked up early from Michael’s—that situation seems to have resolved itself now that Michael has a girlfriend—or Miller needs a ride home from his friend’s place. If it isn’t my daughter, it’s his son. On the upside, we’ve gotten to know each other and outside of the physical attraction, I really like him.

Tonight Violet is going to the movies and sleeping over at her friend’s house. Sidney is picking me up in ten minutes. He made dinner reservations and afterward we’re making use of my empty house.

Violet is still home when Sidney arrives, but she’s in the bathroom. The water isn’t running, so I knock on the door. “Honey, I’m on my way out! Have a great night with Sasha and text me if you need anything, okay?”

“Hold on!” A few seconds later she opens the door. She’s wearing a bathrobe and her hair is wrapped in a towel. Her glasses fog up as soon as she puts them on. “Oooh, you look pretty. Have fun on your date.”

“I will. And you have fun with your friends.” I kiss her on the cheek. “I’m only a phone call away.”

“Do you have your lactose pills?” she asks.

“Oh crap. Good call. Want to grab me a couple?”

“For sure.” A few seconds later she drops two pills into my palm and hands me a glass of water. Her glasses are foggy again.

I down them, thank her and leave her to get ready and meet Sidney at the front door. He’s wearing a navy suit with a blue tie that matches my dress.

He taps his bottom lip. “You look fantastic.”

“So do you. My daughter’s still home, otherwise I would invite you in now.”

“She’s here?”

“Yeah, her friend is picking her up in an hour. She just got out of the shower.”

“Ah, okay. Shall we go, then?”

I grab my purse. “Absolutely.” I pull the door closed behind me and make sure it’s locked before I lace my arm with his and walk down the driveway to his truck.

Thanks to Violet’s smart thinking I don’t have to completely avoid dairy. Not that I plan to consume it in copious quantities, just that sometimes they put whipping cream in the soups or to accent desserts and occasionally I enjoy those things.

Dinner is fabulous as usual. Sidney seems to know all the best restaurants in town. I order the butternut squash and pear soup as a starter and the scallops as my entrée, and we finish with the chocolate lava cake for dessert. The conversation is easy as it always seems to be, although our interests vary significantly. And maybe that’s why we get along so well. It’s easy to keep the conversation flowing when we can share our unique experiences.

Anticipation makes the tension between us flare and Sidney’s innocent brushes under the table are making me antsy to get home. I send Violet a text message asking how her night is going and get a quick reply:

Violet: At the movies now, don’t want to get in trouble for texting, talk ltr.

I send her a thumbs up and give Sidney a saucy grin. “My house is empty.”

He tosses his napkin on the table and signals the server.

Once the bill is paid, we rush to his truck. My stomach tightens in anticipation and I will myself to calm down. But that tightness in my stomach grows as we drive the short distance from the restaurant back to my house.

Sidney sets his hand palm up on the center console and I lace my fingers with his. “I’m excited to see your place.”

“I’m excited to get you into my bedroom.”

He chuckles. “I’m excited for that, too. It’s almost hard to believe it’s finally happening.”

“I know, right?” An unpleasant gurgle comes from my stomach, so I press my hand against it and feel the unsettling churn under my palm.

“Everything okay?” Sidney asks.

“Oh yeah, fine. Everything’s fine.” It’s probably just nerves and excitement.

But the closer we get to my house, the more noise my stomach makes and then the cramping begins. I can’t get my period. Not now. Not tonight.

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