Page 30 of Fractured Destiny

She nods once. Nothing dramatic. No pity. Another single mother trying to understand an impossible situation.

The café door opens behind us, and familiar guitar spills onto the sidewalk. Levi lifts his head from my shoulder and his whole body goes still for a second.

Then, almost absentmindedly, he starts babbling along. It’s mostly vowels. A handful of determined consonants. Every few notes he confidently inserts, “Mama,” before wandering back into happy toddler nonsense.

“Da…daaa…mmm… Mama…daaa…”

He pats my shoulder in rhythm, completely unaware he’s butchering one of the biggest songs on the radio.

Ingrid smiles. “He likes this one.”

“He does.”

Levi keeps singing to himself, content in the little world he’s built between my shoulder and the sound of his father’s voice.

Ingrid beams at him. “He’s got excellent taste. I hear this song everywhere.”

Lake’s song fades into something else.

Levi stops singing, looks toward the café, and points. “No.”

“I know, buddy.” I kiss his sweet cheek. “We’ll play it in the car on the way home.”

Ingrid bends to zip Minnie’s jacket. “What stopped you from telling him?”

“I haven’t been ready. I’m trying to become somebody respectable…” I smile as Levi climbs back into his stroller and begins stacking his rocks on the little tray. “And the kind of mother Levi deserves.”

Ingrid knows enough about my past not to ask questions. She’s never judged me, which I appreciate more than she will ever know.

“You’re an amazing mother, Noa.” She beams at me. “Please never think otherwise. As for the rest, let it go. The past is the past.”

“I know.” My sponsor tells me the same thing all the time. Forgive, don’t forget. “At least I don’t wake up wondering who I am anymore.”

Ingrid regards me seriously. “Wow. That’s a hell of a sentence.”

“I’ve worked hard for it,” I manage.

“Puppy!” Levi screams at a guy walking his dog a few yards away.

The golden retriever’s owner waves. Levi waves back with enthusiasm. Minnie joins in.

Ingrid watches him go. “He’s a happy little guy.”

“He really is.” I can’t help but agree.

“Remember, you’ve given him stability to be this way,” Ingrid assures me. “Take it from a professional.”

“Well.” I smile. “We did.”

She looks at me quizzically.

“My parents.” The words come easier than I expect. “They’ve been incredible.”

“You’re lucky.” She stands and grips the handle of Minnie's stroller. “Mine are still convinced I did something to drive her dad away.”

“I’m sorry.” I bite my lip.

“Eh. It is what it is.” We walk toward our cars, which are parked in the strip across from Cactus. “So what happens now?”