Photo by Karolina Kołodziejczak on Unsplash

Griffin preheated the oven, cut up chicken tenders, sprinkled them with oil and seasonings and put them in the oven. Next he put rice to cook on the stove, then began cutting up broccoli and slicing carrots, all the while taking deep breaths to release his anger.

Why had Melisande felt the need to take Adora off his lap? Adora had seemed comfortable and content with him. She seemed to enjoy watching Finnegan. She hadn’t made any fuss or acted like she wanted to go to Melisande.

He enjoyed holding Adora on his lap. He hoped to be able to hold her, talk to her, and interact with her more, but Melisande seemed to want to keep Adora to herself.

_________________________________________________________________________

Melisande sat in the living room holding Adora in her arms. For six months she had been Adora’s sole caretaker, except for the occasional times she let her mom help her out. Adora is her responsibility and she is bonded with her baby.

I know I probably hurt Griffin’s feelings. He seems genuinely interested in Adora. But what if things don’t work out? What if after a couple weeks or months he decides he really doesn’t want a family — doesn’t want us? I don’t want Adora to get attached to him just to have him kick us out. He said he left because he didn’t want to be tied down, and he sure traveled far to keep from being tied down. He hadn’t even been back to visit his parents. What if he really did prefer being alone?

Her head pounded and a wave of nausea washed through her at the thought that she shouldn’t have brought Adora here — should’ve just left things the way they were.

_________________________________________________________________________

Griffin strode into the living room to announce dinner was ready, but before he could say a word the look on Melisande’s face stopped him. She appeared both frightened and ill as she sat clutching Adora to her chest. The baby had fallen asleep. He cleared his throat, then spoke in a low tone, “Melisande, are you okay?”

She flinched, then turned toward him, her eyes wide. After a moment, she shook her head and stood up. “I was just thinking it was a mistake for me to come here. To bring Adora.”

“What? Why?”

“Griffin, you seem to be perfectly happy living alone.” Finnegan walked into the room and meowed. Melisande sneered. “With your cat.”

Griffin took a step closer to her and brushed the backs of the fingers of one hand down her face. “Melisande, when I left you in Pennsylvania, I was a stupid eighteen-year-old boy. I didn’t realize how much I would miss you until I was here in Wyoming for a while, especially during the long, cold winter.”

She cocked her head and studied his face. “Didn’t you miss your parents either?”

Griffin blew out a long sigh. “I think about my parents and sure, I want to go visit them this year, but I needed to have time to myself to figure out what I was going to do with my life.”

Melisande lowered her brow. “And what have you decided?

Griffin ran a hand through his hair, his mouth in a tight, thin line. “Can we eat dinner before the food gets cold, then have this conversation?”

“As long as you’re not using dinner to avoid this topic. We need to have this conversation.”

“I know. And we will. I promise.”