“I don’t think Rosie would agree with you there. I suspect she spends plenty of time feeling inadequate and overwhelmed.”
“She hides it well. Mom seems like the epitome of a woman who has fought hard for her success and won’t let anything or anyone take it from her.”
“I would agree with that,” he said. “She’s also a woman who loves her family fiercely and worries for them just as fiercely.”
She sighed. “I know. And I get it. You and my mom are close.”
He gave her another careful look. “Your mom has given me some amazing opportunities and I will never be anything but grateful that she took a chance on a dumb punk like I was.”
“You’re not dumb, Bryce.”
“Even though I was held back a year and you skipped a grade ahead?”
“I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.”
“It was the truth.”
“Not completely. I was a fall baby and always a little bit ahead of the rest of the kids in my grade. And you...”
Her voice trailed off.
“And I had to take remedial English and math classes because I struggled in school. For what it’s worth, I was diagnosed with dyslexia in middle school.”
Which probably would have happened much earlier if his mom had ever been sober enough at parent-teacher conferences to push the matter.
“Do you struggle at jobsites? There’s plenty of math and English required.”
“No. You never grow out of dyslexia but I did figure out some coping mechanisms that help a lot.”
“Oh good.”
He was about to add more when her daughter rushed over, her brow furrowed and her mouth pursed. She had tears on her cheeks but she seemed more mad than angry.
“I fell on the swing and hurt my knee and a boy named Charlie laughed at me.”
Emma gathered her daughter in her arms and he watched all of her prickliness disappear in an instant, replaced by soft concern.
“Well, how rude of him. Maybe he didn’t understand that you were really hurt.”
“Maybe.” Olive looked between the two of them. “Can I sit by you on this swing?”
Emma glanced over at Bryce with a questioning look. He willingly slid over and Olive hopped up between the two of them, warm and sweet and clearly tired.
“Hi. You’re my friend Bryce.”
He smiled, already adoring this open, friendly child. “And you’re my friend Olive. It’s good to see you again.”
“Guess what? My friend has a new puppy. I’m going to see it when I go play there on Monday.”
“A new puppy,” he said. “How exciting!”
She grinned happily. “And she has a new Barbie doll, too, and she’s going to have a new baby sister, but that’s not as fun as a new puppy.”
“Absolutely not,” Bryce agreed solemnly.
“Guess what?” she asked again.
“Um, another friend has a new kitty?”