“No, I’m good,” I said. “I think I’ll stay out here and play with Nova some more, if that’s okay.”
“Sure is,” Danielle responded. “Knock yourself out. Let me know when you guys want some snacks.”
“Thanks, Mom!” Nova shouted. She picked up another one of the plastic fairies and pointed it at me. “That’s Ariel. And this is Aphrodite.”
“I’m pretty sure this is Betty.” I motioned to the one in my hand.
I played with Nova for about an hour before my brain couldn’t take any more of it. I encouraged the child to come inside with me by speculating about what snacks might be available. We found Danielle watching YouTube, sitting on the couch with her feet up. She rose guiltily and helped Nova get settled before giving her a cheese stick and some apple slices.
“She would get fatter if you gave her cookies and candy,” I observed.
“I’m not trying to fatten her up,” Danielle scoffed. “What am I, a wicked witch?”
I smiled. “Can I have that cup of coffee?”
She poured me a cup and set it in front of me. “What’s up?”
“Nothing.” I took a sip.
“Come on, I know you too well. Something’s up.”
I sighed. Taking Danielle by the hand, I led her to the living room. I didn’t want to open up around Nova. She was too young to hear about my sexual escapades. “I spent the night with Meara again. Or rather, I didn’t spend the night, and that’s the problem.”
“She’s the one who always runs out after sex?” Danielle fact-checked.
“That’s right,” I said. “She just got a job as an intern at our firm—”
“Uh-oh.”
“No, it’s fine. I think it’ll work out well. I just—”
“You just slept with her, right off the bat?” Danielle gasped, putting two and two together.
“Not right off the bat,” I protested.
“How long has she been working there?”
“One week,” I admitted.
“So you were saying?”
I rolled my eyes. I didn’t like to admit it, but Meara and I had fallen together pretty quickly. She wasn’t even working there for a week before we hopped back into bed together. I guessed the fires were still burning fiercely, and the month we’d had apart didn’t help matters. If anything, it made me more excited to be with her.
“Okay,” I agreed. “Yes, we made short work of the small talk.”
“I’ll say. So how was it?” She gripped my arm.
“Hey,” I objected. “Too much information is never a good thing.”
“Indulge me,” she whined. “I never get any action.”
“You’re saving yourself for the right man,” I told her.
Danielle shook her head. “There is no right man. Nova’s father left when he found out that I was pregnant. I don’t want to make the same mistake again.”
“You’ll find someone.”
“I don’t want to find someone,” she argued. “I just want to be the best mom I can be.”