Determined not to let his insecurities about Carrie put a complete damper on what had otherwise been a good day, he nodded. “Positive. Come on. Let’s have some fun.” The fun stuff was something he knew he could cope with, at least.
His mother’s back yard was a fenced-in area that was approximately two hundred by two hundred feet. A sandbox and a swing set were off to the left corner.
“Swings or sand?”
Natalie’s eyes widened. “Aren’t we just watching the kids?”
“What’s the fun in that?” He took her hand and walked her over to the swing set. “Have a seat, Natalie.”
“I...”
“Are you afraid of heights or get motion sickness?”
She shook her head.
“Then sit.”
She sat.
Expecting him to take the swing next to hers, she’d barely gotten her grip when he warned, “Hold on tight.” Then gave her a hefty push.
Natalie had been on a swing before. At some point during her childhood, she was sure she had. Probably during grammar school. But she had no recall of having had someone push her. She smiled.
“Me, too!” Carrie pleaded as she climbed up on the swing next to Natalie’s. “Push me, too!”
Matthew immediately gave the child a big push, setting her swing in motio
n and triggering a trail of pleased squeals.
Matthew’s eldest niece joined in, adding her pleas to be pushed.
The moment his niece was settled in the next swing Matthew added her to his routine, giving her a couple of pushes to get her moving, too. He moved back and forth between the three swings, keeping them all going higher and higher. Carrie was squealing with delight, as was Liz.
Way back in the recesses of her mind, a memory tugged at Natalie. Or maybe more of an emotion than memory. One that had a lot to do with being tossed from one foster home to another. To never having had anyone like Matthew to push her on a swing.
“Higher, Uncle Matthew! Higher!” Carrie cried.
Carrie had lost both of her parents, had no other family, just as Natalie hadn’t. She could easily have ended up in the same situation as Natalie had.
“To the moon and back?” he asked, getting a resounding “Yes!” as his answer.
Thank goodness she had Matthew.
He thought he was inadequate in his parent-figure role. From time to time those insecurities bled forth, such as today. Natalie wished he could see what she saw when she watched him with Carrie, when he spoke of the child, the love that shone in his eyes.
Natalie smiled at the happiness of the moment.
“Me, too, Uncle Matthew. Me, too,” Liz cried.
If Natalie had thought Matthew was going to let her swing slow as he kept the other two girls going, she’d been wrong. He gave a hard push any time her swing appeared to be slowing. His youngest niece climbed to the top of the slide for a bird’s-eye view and cheered them onward.
“Do you want my swing?” Natalie called to the girl.
The just-turned-four birthday girl shook her head.
“If you decide you do, let me know,” she offered.
Giggles abounded from Matthew’s other two swingers. He seemed to have relaxed and let out a few laughs. The happy sounds made Natalie warm inside.