Part 122 (2/2)
Marie looks less impressed, her dark hair falling forward as she fusses over Jake's arm, dragging tissues from her bag to hold over the bleeding.
”We're getting ice creams, would you like one?” I ask Jake.
Jake looks to his mum who gives me a tight smile. ”We haven't finished our walk, but thank you.”
I grit my teeth as the perfect family with their perfectly behaved children walk away. Even the toddler sat quietly in her buggy. ”Jos.h.!.+ Why did you hit Jake?” I snap.
”He had a stick too! We were sword fighting. I didn't mean to.”
”You need to be careful.”
Nate places a hand on my arm. ”Don't get mad with him.”
I raise a brow. ”Now you want to get involved?”
”What does that mean?”
”Nothing. Ice creams.” I tug Josh away by the hand, p.i.s.sed off when my throat thickens with upset.
Today has been one, huge f.u.c.k up so far.
Nate grips my shoulder forcing me to stop. ”Sit. I'll buy them.”
”No, it's okay-” He half pushes me onto the nearby bench. ”Calm down. I'll buy ice creams.”
Josh's grin reappears. ”Can I have a Flake in mine?”
”Sure.”
The two figures head towards the van, and I tuck my hands beneath my legs, watching. This is surreal. Is Nate as uncomfortable as I am? He's taciturn at best; I'm the only one who benefits from his smiles and lighter moods, and it appears he left both home today. I slap down the constant thoughts this won't work. What did I expect? Nate, who isn't used to children, naturally talking and playing with Josh? He's right. We should've taken a trip to the movies instead.
”Josh says you like vanilla.” Nate pa.s.ses me a cone and sits, with Josh perching next to him and crunching into his chocolate Flake.
”Thanks.”
Nate places one hand on my knee as he eats, and I breathe in the freshness of the spring, the muddy smell of the park and the blossoms on the nearby bush. Families pa.s.s, relaxed, and voices call out. Is anybody else here taking part in an awkward ritual like us?
”What's wrong? You look like you're going to cry,” he asks.
I bite the inside of my lip, his words prompting my eyes to fill. ”I'm not.”
”Liar.” He bites into his cone and proceeds to shrug his jacket off, revealing his tattoo-sleeved arms.
Josh stares. ”I want a tattoo.”
”I think you have to be older,” Nate replies.
”I want a dragon. A big one.”
”My brother has a dragon. Here.” Nate indicates his chest.
”Do you have lots of tattoos?”
”A few.”
”That's cool.” Josh licks ice cream melting onto his hand, then points at Nate's mouth. ”But that's weird.”
Nate touches his piercing and smiles. ”I guess it is.”
I relax and absent-mindedly eat my ice cream. Josh and Nate finish theirs and don't say anymore to each other. Nate squeezes my knee, and I wish the atmosphere were as peaceful as the surrounds.
His treat finished, Josh leaps up and heads to a nearby tree where he starts gathering sticks.
”Your boy likes sticks,” Nate remarks.
”He always takes them home. But he doesn't always attack his friends with them.”
Nate laughs.
”Not funny. I'm already the weird mum, now I'm the weird mum with the violent son.”
”Pfft. Who gives a c.r.a.p what they think?”
”Me! He's boisterous and gets bored easily.”
”He seems like a normal kid to me.” Nate points at Josh climbing a nearby tree.
I resist the urge to be helicopter mum and race over to tell Josh to climb down.
”This isn't working, is it?” I say in a quiet voice. ”You and Josh.”
”Jesus, Riley. Give me a chance. I just met the kid.” He wipes ice cream from the corner of my lip. ”I'm not gonna run, if that's what you're worried about.”
”Okay. But I worry for lots of reasons.”
”Because of my past?”
”A bit.”
Nate wrinkles his nose. ”A lot about this situation is weird. I won't lie and say I'm totally cool with it.”
”You never spoke to me about the... ex thing again. Is it still a problem?”
Nate turns his earnest eyes to mine. ”Only if I let it. The more I get to know Josh, the more it'll fade away, right?”
”You want to meet him again?”
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