Right Place, Wrong Time

21. Play Date

After a restful but unexpectedly lonely spring break, Joey returned to campus a few days early. He knew Lauren was in town but hadn't yet told her he was back, not wanting her to feel obligated to hang out with him if she had her own plans. The universe seemed to have other ideas for them, though.

He was enjoying more real spring weather on a walk through the park, hearing children's voices in the playground up ahead. Then another, distinct voice cut through the air and he held his hand up to his eyes to shade them, squinting into the distance. Sure enough, the two kids in the park were accompanied by someone very familiar, supervising as they clambered on the play structure. Joey picked up his pace and pushed through the gate into the playground.

"Hey, you," he said.

Lauren turned around, apparently recognising his voice too, for there was already a grin on her face.

"Hey, JoJo," she said, stepping into his open arms for a hug. "You just get back?"

"Yesterday," he said.

"You look like you enjoyed the sun."

He held out his arms, realising how much of his tan had returned. "Yeah, I guess the weather was alright. Did you have a good break?"

"I spent most of it doing this." She waved a hand in the direction of the climbing frame, but one of the kids had climbed down and sidled up to Lauren, reaching for her hand.

"Everything okay?" Lauren asked. The boy nodded, but kept his eyes fixed on Joey, who gave him a little wave. "It's okay, you can say hi," Lauren said to the boy.

Joey knelt down, and the boy took a small step towards him. "Hi, I'm Joey," he said, offering out a hand for him to shake. "I'm Lauren's best friend."

The boy looked up to Lauren. "That's right," she said, and turned a soft smile to Joey, one he had to tear his eyes away from to look back at the boy's now more trusting face, shaking his hand gently.

The girl, deciding she would be missing out if she didn't get introduced to Joey too, bounded up to them.

"Hello," she said.

"Hi," Joey replied.

"You're tall," she said plaintively.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lauren turning her face to hide a laugh. "Thank you," he said.

Apparently that was a full conversation, and the girl ran off to the slide, her brother trailing in her wake. Joey got back to his feet.

"They liked you," Lauren said.

"You think?"

"Oh yeah. But that's not surprising."

Joey was surprised by the comment. "What makes you say that?"

She turned an amused gaze on him. "You're a very likeable person. Plus, you seem to like kids. They can always tell."

He gave her a little shrug, smiling. "Yeah, I guess."

From the swings, the girl cried out. "Push us!" She had climbed onto one and was kicking her feet futilely in the air, while her brother had his hands planted on the seat, unable to push himself up.

"'Please'," Lauren said, but started making her way over. "You want to help?" she asked Joey, her voice half joking, but he immediately followed her.

"Sure."

Lauren lifted the boy onto the swing then moved to stand behind the girl, pushing her. Joey grabbed the chains of the boy's swing, pulling back. "Hold tight, okay?" he said. The boy nodded, and Joey let go.