The Fling

37

Abigail's ominous words made me uneasy.

We went out onto the patio after getting some wine, and she took a deep breath before speaking. "There's something going on that I think you need to be aware of." She paused, and I could tell she was gathering her thoughts. "When Bert left, things were really bad. I needed help for myself, so I started therapy, but the kids were struggling, too. There were several weeks following Bert dropping the bomb about his affair and when he moved out that he didn't have any contact with us, and that messed them up, so we started with their abandonment issues. I knew how they felt since I'd been through it myself with my own dad. Later we shifted to learning how to cope with the changes to our family."

I took her hand in mine. "I'm sorry, honey."

"The reason I'm sharing this is because we're returning to therapy Monday." She went on to explain that last week Bertie had several nightmares and Hannah wet the bed two nights in a row, which were signs of underlying stress. "This started right after I told them we were dating, so I thought you needed to know."

"This is exactly what you were afraid of," I murmured, remembering what she'd said when we'd talked after Hannah's party.

"Yes, but it's nothing we can't work through. If you're worried that this makes me want to end things, then let me assure you that it doesn't."

I was worried, so it was good to hear this. "Both Hannah and Bertie always seem so happy and relaxed when we're together. It doesn't feel like I'm stressing them out."

"They are happy because they adore you! So does Lizzie. One of the things I learned in family therapy is that positive events can cause stress, so even though having you in their lives is a great thing for them, it's still a change. Change is always hard on children, but part of growing up is learning how to deal with it."

"You're a really good mom for getting them help. If there's anything I can do, please let me know," I told her.

"You're in the loop now, and that's important." She yawned. "I'm exhausted. Let's go to bed."

I slept fitfully that night, finally falling into a deep slumber in the early hours of the morning. When I woke up, Abigail was not in bed next to me, so I went searching for her downstairs. I found her at the counter drinking coffee with a pad and paper in front of her.

"Good morning," I said, my voice hoarse.

"There's coffee in the carafe, sleepyhead."

I poured myself a cup and sat beside her. "What are you up to?"

"I was going through my income and my expenses to make sure quitting my job is financially feasible. It looks like I can make it work."

"I thought you made up your mind yesterday. Did you wake up second-guessing that decision?"

She sighed. "Yep. I tend to do that a lot. I envy those who make choices with confidence. Eloise is the master at that, and I wish she could teach me how she does it."

"Speaking of your friends, what do they think about us?" Whenever I'd been around them, it felt like they liked me, but it was possible they were just being polite.

"They are really happy for me. I relied heavily on them after Bert left, so they've seen me at my very lowest and were there to pick up the pieces. They know what you've done for me, so they are all for us being together."

I was relieved to hear this, but the topic brought my mind back to our discussion on the patio. I took a sip of my black coffee. "What you told me last night about Hannah and Bertie got to me. Even though I know they like me, I don't want to be the cause of any stress in their lives. I care a lot about all three of the kids, and the thought of them hurting kept me up."

"You were tossing and turning for hours, and I suspected that was the reason. Maybe I shouldn't have told you about their issues."

Shaking my head, I said, "No! We need to be open with each other, and I want you to be honest with me about something. Have I been around too much? Do you think maybe we should only see each other when it doesn't impact them?"

"I have given that some thought. They met you when Bertie broke his arm, you came to Hannah's party, and you disappeared for months. Then you entered our lives again, this time as someone I'm dating. If you back off suddenly, they're going to be even more confused. I think having you here for everyday things like dinner a few times a week will actually help them adjust. I don't want to move forward with sleeping over until the therapist says it's okay."

"I'll do whatever it takes to make this easier, because they are really special to me." Something popped into my head. "Bertie told me that he wants a guitar for his birthday. Could I get him one and help him learn some chords?"

She placed a hand on my shoulder. "You're all in on this, aren't you?"

"It's the only way I know how to be."

"You're the most gorgeous man I have ever met, but it's not your handsome face or perfect body that turn me on," she said.

"No?"

Abigail touched my forehead. "It's what's in here that makes me want you. Your sensitive and generous nature is the thing that makes you so amazing."

"That might be the best thing a woman has ever said to me," I told her truthfully as tears welled up in my eyes.

"I need you...right now." She hopped off the stool and led me upstairs.

We tore off what little clothing we had on, and after putting on a condom, I gave her what she needed. The entire time, our eyes remained locked, making things exponentially more intense. I was slow and gentle since I knew she was sore but I also wanted it to last because this time felt special. When we were done, we clung to each other, our bodies damp with perspiration. I stroked her back as she run her lithe fingers through my chest hair.

"Thank you for coming into my life," she whispered.

I gulped as I tried to decide whether or not to tell her how I truly felt about her, because this seemed like the right time.

Just then, Abigail extricated herself from my arms and climbed out of bed. "I'm starving. Can you make some of your famous eggs?" she asked as she looked around for her panties. She retrieved them from under the bedside table and pulled them on. "Or I could make us smoothies."

"Eggs sound good." The tender moment had passed, which was maybe for the best.

After breakfast, we took Cosmo for a hike on one of my favorite trails. This was something important to me since hiking had been part of my mental health recovery. We walked hand in hand on the wide path, occasionally passing other people and their dogs. It was a gorgeous day, and the sunshine elevated my mood.

"Are you on the lookout for rattlesnakes?" I teased after noticing Abigail was scanning the brush on either side of us.

She laughed. "Always! That's why I keep Cosmo on a fairly short leash. He's more likely to get bit than we are."

"As scary as that thought is, I'm really glad I moved to California," I said.

"So am I, but do you miss Toronto? When were you last there?"

"I went home for a few weeks in May. Would you want to go with me next time?"

Abigail gave my hand a squeeze. "I could do a long weekend, since I doubt Bert would object to keeping the kids an extra day. Speaking of Canada...I'm looking forward to meeting your family."

My birthday was rapidly approaching, and my family was flying in for the occasion. I was eager for my sister and parents to get to know my girlfriend, though I was positive my mum had concerns about the age gap. Hopefully she'd see how happy Abigail made me and let go of any reservations.