“I’m almost to your house now.”
“I’ll open the garage door. Pull in.”
“What? Why?”
“Because everyone lives in this neighborhood, Mandy. Are you okay with them seeing you here?” I have no issue with it. I’ve already decided I need to come clean as soon as I figure out how.
“Oh. Okay,” she replies.
“I’ll meet you out there.” I’m already rushing barefoot out to the garage to open the door. Her SUV slows down, turns into the driveway, and she pulls right in. I quickly hit the button to close the door, and then I’m moving toward her car to greet them.
I tug open Amanda’s door, and the urge to bend my head and kiss her lips is strong, but I fight it. Instead, I move to the back door for Mia. She grins when she sees me, holding her arms out for me to take her. Quickly, I unbuckle her seat and lift her from it.
“Let’s get you ladies inside,” I say. With Mia in my arms and my hand on the small of Amanda’s back, I guide her into my house.
“Can I get you something to drink?” I ask once we’re inside.
“No, thank you,” Amanda answers politely.
“What about this little lady? Does she need anything?” I ask, bouncing Mia in my arms, making her laugh.
I glance at Amanda, and she’s got a soft smile pulling at her lips as she watches us. “No,” she finally answers.
“Let’s sit.” I nod toward the living room, and she turns on her heel and leads us into the room. She sits on the couch, so I do the same, leaving a little space between us. I sit Mia in that small space, and she grins, using my arms to steady herself as she stands.
“Look at you. You’re going to be walking in no time,” I tell her as she reaches over and steadies her hand on Amanda’s shoulder. She’s still a little too far away, so Amanda scoots in, helping her. Mia squeals with delight as she reaches her mom and takes a couple of wobbly steps toward her.
Silence settles between us, and not the peaceful kind. It’s charged with things we need to say but haven’t. I’ve never been one to hide behind my choices, so I clear my throat and start us off. “I don’t want, nor do I need, your apology.” I keep my tone soft, almost tender, hoping like hell my earlier anger and frustration are nowhere to be seen.
“What I did was wrong,” Amanda replies, twisting her fingers together in her lap.
“Why?”
“What?” she asks, her brow furrowing.
Mia makes her way back to me and climbs onto my lap. She rests her head on my shoulder, and I cuddle her close, gently rubbing her back. “Why was it wrong, Mandy?” I ask her, my tone softer now, not wanting to disturb Mia. It’s late, and I’m sure close to, if not past, her bedtime.
“Bellamy is my best friend. Kissing you betrayed her.”
There it is. The safe answer. “Did it feel wrong?” I know I shouldn’t be pushing this, but I need to know if that kiss affected her as much as it did me. I study her face, searching for what, I’m not sure, as my hand continues to gently rub Mia’s back. Her body relaxes into me, and my heart melts for this little girl and her momma.
“No,” she whispers.
I know I shouldn’t push. I know I’m teetering on the edge of something that could unravel more than I’m prepared to handle. But I need to know. I need to know if that moment wrecked her the way it wrecked me. If she’s been replaying it in quiet rooms. If it lingers on her lips the way it lingers on mine.
Her gaze drops to Mia, then lifts back to me. The room is so quiet I can hear the faint hum of the refrigerator, the steady rhythm of Mia’s breathing against my neck.
I hold steady, my eyes never leaving hers. Amanda’s composure cracks. I can see it in the way her shoulders fall, and her voice thins when she whispers, “No.”
The word lands between us, heavier than any apology. Mia shifts in my arms, sighing softly, and I know she’s asleep, unaware that the world around her has just tilted.
Amanda’s eyes shine, not with regret, but with something far more dangerous. Something honest. And suddenly, the silence doesn’t feel empty anymore. It feels like a new door quietly unlocking.
It feels like a new beginning.
I clear my throat and stand. “Let me put her in Coral’s bed. Then we can talk.” I wait for her approval. She nods and stands, as well, following me upstairs to my granddaughter’s bedroom.
Stepping into the dark room, I turn on the small lamp that serves as a nightlight. The glow is so dim that it doesn’t offer much, just enough light to see where I’m going. I place Mia into the bed and cover her tiny body. She sighs, and I smile.