“Here in Dallas. About twenty minutes from my house. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know what I’d do or where I’d be. They’ve been there for me from day one when things first started going downhill with Avery, and they stayed right with me when Malcolm came along. He’s their only grandchild and they’re crazy about him. They keep him for me all the time too so I can work, plus none of us wanna put Malcolm in a daycare.”
“I don’t blame you at all for that. Zac, do you not have any siblings?”
“No, I’m an only child.”
“So am I.” Malcolm started stirring around in my arms but then settled back down. “He’s having a really good nap,” I said, running my fingers through his hair again.
“He feels secure with you.”
“I’m glad he does. He’s a little angel.”
“He’s a special little boy, for sure.”
“I don’t know if I should tell you this, but I’m gonna do it anyway and I hope you take it the right way.”
“Whatever it is, I’m sure I will.”
“I had a dream about my Malcolm during my first night here in this house. He wasn’t an infant, though. He looked to be around four years old and strangely, his physical appearance was like your Malcolm’s. Identical, in fact.”
“Are-are you serious?” Zac stammered.
“Completely.”
“How did you know it was your Malcolm in your dream?”
“He talked to me. That’s how I knew, plus I sensed it.”
“What did he say to you?”
“Mommy, I love you and I’m still here.”
Zac softly smiled. “His soul is with you.”
I felt the sting in my eyes and looked down at Zac’s Malcolm in my arms, hugged him even tighter, and kissed the top of his head. Then I looked back up at Zac.
“I believe it’s something like that.”
“Stevie, why couldn’t I have met someone like you ten years ago? It’s been hell living with Avery all these years and I can’t help but wonder what I did to deserve it. It’s like—what’d I do in a past life?”
“You think what you’re going through is due to karma?”
“I can’t help but think that.”
“I think it comes down to blind choices that we’re all guilty of making, plus the repercussions of making them. Sometimes, we see in people what we wanna see instead of who they really are. I believe that’s what happened when you got together with Avery.”
“I’ve never heard it put that way, but I think you’re right.”
“Looking back, do you recognize any red flags?”
“Yes, I do. There was a big one in particular that I should’ve paid closer attention to and asked a whole lot more about.”
“And which one was that?”
“Avery was engaged to a guy that she met in college and he broke off their engagement a month before their wedding. Everything was paid for—Avery’s dress, the flowers, the photographer, the caterer, the D.J., etc. And after the guy ended things, Avery and her mother went to where they bought the wedding dress, and also the flowers, returned the merchandise, and then demanded they get their money back. The florist said she couldn’t refund the money because it went against the store’s policy. Avery’s mother became so furious that she actually grabbed Avery’s bridal bouquet off the counter and threw it at the florist. Then she cussed her out.”
I scoffed. “It’s not hard to see where Avery learned her behavior.”
“You’re right about that. Of course, in her mind, all of that mess had nothing to do with her. It was all on her fiancé.”