Sunshine After The Rain

Chapter Forty-Two

"Make any new friends today?" Sophie asked, setting the two mugs of hot chocolate in front of her kids.

She allowed them a week off since moving to get used to their surroundings before starting them in school, filling their days with little activities to make the transition easier. Much to Justin's dismay, they had to go back for the first time that day. 

"There's a kid in my class, Kayden. He seems pretty cool," Justin offered up as he slid his mug closer. "Asked if I wanted to go sledding this weekend with him and his friends."

Considering he'd never made plans with anyone back home, Sophie considered the small gesture as an epic win. 

Sophie gave him a big smile as she lifted the mug of her own hot chocolate. "That's great, honey. Sledding sounds like a lot of fun. And how about you, Ella. Did you make any friends?"

Ella shrugged and looked down at the floating marshmallows. "A boy asked me to marry him. I pushed him and had to go to time out."

A laugh passed through Sophie's smiling lips. Pushing was absolutely not okay, but at least she didn't put him in a headlock like the girl Ella's age she saw in the viral video. "Next time just tell him 'no, thank you'."

"Okay, mommy."

"So," Sophie continued, "I know it's a school night, but your grandma's coming over and we're going ice skating to celebrate!"

Ella squealed and Justin cheered. They'd done many outings since arriving in Colorado, but ice skating had been the fan favorite. Justin, despite growing up in the south and only trying it one other time in his life, was a natural at it. Ella wasn't so fortunate, but loved the music, lights and hot apple cider. 

"Only for a couple of hours, though. And Justin, I want your homework done first."

Justin nodded his head and fled the table, leaving the mug of hot chocolate behind. 

Since her mother would be arriving in half an hour, Sophie stood and walked away from her treasured dining room table to start dinner. She'd been a bundle of nerves the last several days, ever since her phone call with Lucas. The stress of the move had gotten the best of her. Add that to her daughter's comment about wanting him to be her new daddy when Sophie had no idea if things would work out between the two, and she'd lost it. She'd unloaded all of that anxiety and fear onto him, and when she called him the night before to apologize, Lucas hadn't answered. 

Sophie had moved here to give him the time and space he needed to do the most difficult thing a parent ever had to do; say his final goodbye to his child. Until that day came, if it came, she needed to learn to do what she set out to do. Sophie needed to pick herself off, start her new life, and put Lucas in the back of her mind. 

There was a man in her building who lived one floor below her who'd hinted at a date after their third meeting in the lobby. He was handsome, a bit shy, and very charming when he did speak up, but the idea of dating while she was here still felt like cheating. She'd turned him down, letting him know that her heart belonged to someone else. 

Even with the stressful conversation between her and Lucas, and even with her freak out, Sophie's feelings for Lucas hadn't and wouldn't change. It wasn't about her at all, but instead about her children. It was about the hope that filled Ella, not knowing if she'd be let down or not.  Not knowing if the situation was setting her up with disappointment, or setting herself up. And it was also about Justin, who seemed to have noticed the sadness in her marriage and worried about history repeating itself with Lucas. 

Just as Sophie finished the spaghetti and meatballs, the chime on her door rang out. "Ella, can you let grandma in so Justin can finish his homework?"