Safe

-11- Lunch Date

Kendra Lincoln

I hustle from my car down the sidewalk to the restaurant that my mom picked out. I'm late, having needed to take a few minutes to compose myself after having my blood drawn for my obgyn. My thoughts had gotten carried away with what if's and dreams that I had found myself sobbing in the car. Bursting through the restaurant doors, I breeze past the host explaining that I'm meeting people as I go.

My mom shouts my name. Only a handful of people dining in so I'm able to find her easily.

"Sorry I'm late." I kiss my mom on the cheek before sitting down. "Did you order?"

"We waited for you." My mom says affectionately.

"I'm starving." Meghan adds.

I roll my eyes at her. "Well thank you mom, for waiting. How is everything?"

"Oh you know, I signed up for this weaving class. Life of a retiree." She muses happily.  "Megs was just telling me that Mia wants to go to Florida for a week with her trainer and horse and show down there."

I look at Meghan, eyes wide. "Wow. Are you going to let her?"

Meghan shrugs, sipping on some sort of hot drink. "It'll cost a small fortune. We'd have to ship the horse and then pay for it live down there at the show for a week. Which is never cheap. And then we'd have to pay the trainer and the grooms and that's not even the cost of the show itself or Mia's flight down there and back."

"She's really gotten serious about this." I comment.

"You don't even know. The other day she was telling me about how she was thinking it might be best to sell her horse now and buy something with a little more talent so she can really be competitive." Meghan tells us. "I mean she's showing us horses that are $30,000."

I nearly choke at the amount. "That's a car."

"You're telling me." Meghan sighs. "I don't know, we'll see."

"How's Holt doing?" My mom asks.

I look down at the table for a moment to gather myself and my emotions. "He's okay. We're definitely making small steps of progress."

"Wonderful, any news on the adoption?"

Meghan shakes her head. "I still can't believe you are going to adopt him. You barely know him. How long has he even been with you?"

I take a deep breath, leveling my gaze to Meghan's. "Around 5 months."

"That's just such a short amount of time."

"Oh Meghan, leave it alone." My mom scolds and I'm thankful for it. "He needs a home and a family and who better than Kenny?"

"Thank you mom." I reach for her hand and squeeze it.

"But mom, you haven't even met him." Meghan argues.

"Shh." I smile as my mom waves her off. "Enough."

I flip open the menu, realizing I'm starving and for once I don't feel completely nauseous. Hopefully eating doesn't backfire on me, the last thing I want is the third degree from Meghan on why I suddenly feel ill. I'm not ready to tell her that we're pregnant.

"Oh I was going to tell you Meghan." I say as I read through my menu options. "Holt has a game coming up with Paramount. Maybe we can meet for a drink before the game."

"I'll talk to Chris but I don't see why not." She agrees. "Did I tell you Ari's boyfriend is on the basketball team."

"Oh really? Will you be at the game then?" I select a garden salad and soup, closing my menu.

"We don't usually go but I'm sure Ari will be there."

I hate to admit it but I'm a little relieved that Meghan doesn't sound like she'll go to the game. Her last and only encounter with Holt was a nightmare. And when they meet again, I'd rather it not be in public, just in case.

"Have you thought anymore about thanksgiving?" My mom intercepts the conversation just as the waiter arrives.

We take a small break in conversation to order, resuming the topic once the waiter leaves.

"We are still discussing it." I tell her.

I'm not going to tell her that I've talked to Holt. That he's agreed to come. I'm still waiting for him to change his mind. And to be honest I'm still waiting for me to change my mind. I want so desperately for everything to go smoothly for Holt, and I'm not sure meeting my family at once on a holiday is the best way to go about it. But I also want to go.

"Take your time honey."

Meghan rolls her eyes. "Don't take too long or Thanksgiving will be over."

————————

Rhett had the best news when he got home from work. We waited until Holt got home and cleaned up, settled in his room quietly before we decided to tell him.

I knock on his open door.

"May we come in?" I ask poking my head in.

He instantly sits up from where he's laying across his bed, a book in hand that he closes and sets on the bedside table.

"Yes ma'am." He says quietly, eyes finding the floor.

I smile back at Rhett, nearly exploding with excitement even though we still have to wait. But this is one step closer to adopting Holt officially.

We all sit on his bed, Holt, then me, then Rhett who once again sits so close he might as well be in my lap.

"Well Rhett got a call today." I say, aware my voice sounds tight from trying to hold my excitement in. "Your dad signed the papers!"

"Now all we need is a court date." Rhett adds.

I'm not sure what I was expecting. A smile? Maybe. But Holt just stares at the floor and I feel my heart plummet. Rhett grabs my hand, leaning closer and fear rushes through me at one terrifying thought. What if he's changed his mind?

"You do still want to be adopted, right?"

                              ———————

I'm getting ready to go lay my moms new wood floor with my brother. We'll probably both die in the process, there's so much floor and closets. 🤣 but we're finally getting close to the end of the renovation!