The Fling

74

We snuggled on the couch for over an hour, just listening to music and enjoying the ambiance that the twinkling tree and fireplace provided. In a strange way, I felt a little like I had when I was a sixteen and alone with a girl I was into; I wasn't sure if I should make a move or wait for her to give me a very obvious sign that it was the right time. I knew Abigail would let me kiss her, and we were going away together in a few days, but she'd told me that she wanted things to be semi-platonic. My only option was to take things slowly and see where that took us.

I was about to give her a kiss when she spoke. "I bet that cheese is the perfect temperature. Should we have some?"

Cheese was the last thing on my mind, but I smiled and nodded. "Sounds good. We've still got a few hours to midnight. Do you want some champagne now or would you like to save it?"

"Now, please! I love champagne and charcuterie!"

We stood at the island nibbling on the delicious food while sipping the 2015 Veuve Clicquot I'd purchased. "Did Lizzie see her mom much over the holidays?" I asked.

"They spent an afternoon together, which was enough, apparently," she replied sadly. "I'm not sure they'll ever have the loving relationship a mother and daughter should have."

"At least she's got you. You're an amazing mom, honey, and you're giving her everything she needs."

"I'm not sure I can completely fill the void her mom has left in her heart, though. I went through this with my dad, and no matter how good things are, I carry a sadness that I missed something by not having him in my life during the most important years of my life. That said, the one good thing to come out of Bert's financial disaster is that she got to move home. He's going to be in the hole long enough that she'll be with me until she goes to college, which is best for everyone."

I cleared my throat nervously. "Any news pertaining to Bert moving out?"

Abigail finished chewing her bite of Brie. "Gina talked to Bertram and he's considering it. I think he is going to say yes, but he wants his son to squirm a little. They know that I gave Bert a deadline, so I think they'll come to a resolution in the next few weeks. It's actually good Bert is still around since he can help my mom with the kids while we're in Palm Springs, although I'm sure she's not thrilled about spending so much time with him."

"Yeah, I wondered about that. They get along okay, right?"

"She'll never forgive him for cheating on me, but my mother will be nice for the children's sake."

"How are things going with Stan? Think their hook-up will lead to a genuine reconciliation?" I queried.

"I asked if they'd spoken when I was on the phone with her yesterday finalizing everything for our trip. She said they had but didn't offer up any details. I honestly don't know where they are headed with this, and I'm not sure how I feel about it."

"I thought kids of divorce always want their mom and dad to get back together."

She rolled her eyes. "I dreamed of that when I was younger, but after I became an adult and understood how relationships work, I realized that was foolish. Obviously this is colored by my own experience. No amount of time or personal growth would have me even consider being with Bert again. The thought of it makes me a little queasy."

I tried really hard to subdue the smile that crept onto my face at these words but I couldn't do it. Abigail playfully nudged me in the ribs. "You love hearing that, huh?"

"Maybe."

"Of all the things you could worry about, that does not need to be one of them."

It crossed my mind that if this was a movie or TV show, her statement would be foreshadowing for an inevitable reunion with Bert, which made me a little anxious. I changed the subject. "Want me to drive to Palm Springs? I could rent a convertible since the weather is going to be nice."