The Love We Shared

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The tables set, the food is prepared, all that's left is everyone's presence at the table.

"Everything looks wonderful, honey." My husband leans in to greet me with a soft peck on the lips before taking his seat like he does every day.

"Jole! Caesar! Come get your dinner!"

It doesn't take long for them to run in, the dog trailing close behind. And dinner commences. This is how everyday ends and the cycle resets. Breakfast, drive kids to school, clean, pick-up kids, make dinner, shower, and repeat. An unchanged cycle.

I don't even realize I'm being talked to until I hear my child-given name.

"Mom, what's for dessert?" I smile at Jo's enthusiasm.

"How would you two like ice-cream?" I'm met with an instant chorus of 'yes'.

"Great, you go play while Mommy runs out to get some." Caesar's missing front tooth smile makes my heart melt at his cuteness.

"Can you watch them? I need 30 minutes away from the crazy." I ask, midway through cleaning all the plates off the table.

"Take as long as you need. I got this." He pulls me close, leaving a kiss on my forehead before taking the dirty plates from my hands.

"Thank you!" I gush, grabbing my wallet and keys by the door and run out to my car before he can change his mind.

It only takes me ten minutes to be parked and already hunting the aisles for ice-cream before I get distracted. The big Valentine's Day advertisements and sales bombard every aisle with balloons and candy galore, completely capturing my attention.

Taking my sweet time, I peruse the giant shelves full of mushy love crap that corporate America is pushing at us. The sweet cards and giant teddy bears. Seventy-thousand different assorted chocolates and flowers. I love it all.

"Twice in one day, imagine that?" I immediately recognize the guy from earlier, Dylan's voice as magnetic as ever.

"Funny, isn't it?" My smile is instant when he gets closer.

"No kids? You didn't lose them again?" My eyes fixated on the glint of amusement in those teddy-bear brown eyes of his.

"Ha, ha. No, they're at home with their dad. I needed a break."

"I see. I imagine you are shopping for someone special?" His voice hinted but my clueless brain dropped the ball.

"No, just eyeing up what all will be going on sale in a week. This place has good deals for the..." Realization hit in that moment. "That's not what you meant."

"Would you like to talk over lunch sometime? Say tomorrow?" His bright smile was inviting and my ability to breathe became hindered.

"Yes." I couldn't manage any other word, feeling caught off guard in the best way.

"Great. Let me just give you my number." He grabbed a random pen off a shelf and ripped the corner of the weekly specials. "Here. Call me whenever. I'm free from eleven till one." And just like that, he sauntered off, leaving me in a cloud of conflicting emotion.

Should I actually call him?

~

510 words