Page 19 of A Place to Call Home
“Did your dad miss you when you were at your mom’s house?” Jack asked her.
Ada nodded. “He wasn’t always good at saying it, but he did. And my mom missed me when I was with my dad.” She rubbed her hand over his arm. “It’s hard, huh?”
Jack nodded against her. “I don’t ever get to be with both of them. I’m always missing somebody.”
Craig’s heart dropped. His son was hurting, and he didn’t know how to fix it.
“But,” Jack continued, “when they’re together, Dad’s eyes get all scrunchy, and Mom’s shoulders go up by her ears.” He smiled a little. “I think I like them better when they’re apart.”
Ada laughed lightly. “I definitely liked my parents better when they were apart too.”
“And that didn’t make you a bad kid, did it?” Jack asked earnestly.
“Not at all. And it didn’t make my parents bad people, either.” She kissed the top of his head. “You remember that when things are tough, okay?”
“I will, Ada.”
“And one more thing,” she said.
Jack looked up at her.
She smiled down at him. “I think you and I need to play a game of Horse.”
“Right now?”
“We’d have to ask your dad, but I’m up for it if you are.”
Jack hopped off his bed. Only then did he notice his father in the doorway. “Can we, Dad? I know it’s past my bedtime, but can we play Horse?”
He ruffled Jack’s hair. “Sure, little man. You remember where we put the balls, right?”
“Sure do.” Jack was off in a flash.
Ada rose from the bed. “I hope I didn’t overstep myself. He needed someone to talk to, and I remember so well how that felt, not getting to be with one of my parents.”
“Thank you for helping him feel less alone, and for not giving up on me even though I know I mess this up a lot.”
“I like the Awkward Avenger, mess-ups and all.” She pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go destroy a nine-year-old in a game of Horse.”
Chapter Seven
Craig had a housewarming party a couple of weeks after closing. He’d wanted to hold it on a weekend that Jack was with him. Carol’s flightiness meant he’d suddenly had options.
He invited friends from work, some of Jack’s friends from his basketball team along with their parents. Bianca and Rob came. So did Ada, but he hadn’t had a chance to actually talk to her yet. Jack and his teammates had cornered her immediately and pulled her outside to shoot some hoops.
Craig stepped into the garage to grab a couple bags of chips. Bianca slipped in behind him.
“You’re happy,” she said.
It was a weird and kind of random thing to say. “Party’s going well. And the chips are a hit.” He grabbed a couple bags from the wire shelves. “I can’t complain.”
She shook her head in amusement. “I don’t mean happy about the party. I haven’t seen you this happywith lifein all the years I’ve known you.” Bianca smiled at him. “Ada’s good for you.”
“But amIgood for her?” Craig wondered a lot about that. “I come with a lot of baggage.”
“But you like her,” Bianca said. “Admit it.”
“I’ve known her only about six weeks. But—” His words stopped short, but then the confession slipped out. “But I think I love her.”
