January 13, 2023

"Emma, do you think mommy should buy the green grapes or the red grapes this week?" I asked my daughter. She looked up at me, her hazel eyes sparkling under the florescent lights of the grocery store.

"Green!" She squealed and pointed and the bags in front of her.

"Green it is… again." I huffed. I didn't understand why I bothered to ask her every week because she always picked the green ones. I picked up a bag and dropped it into the cart. Emma squeezed her way between me and the cart, hopping up on the metal that hung below the main basket. Her eyes barely reached over the handle. I pushed her and the cart around to the apples.

"Can you grab mommy a bag sweetie?" I asked. She nodded and jumped off the cart. Excitedly she ran towards the bag roll.

"Mommy do you want one of these too?" She asked as she reached on her tippy toes. Her little hand barely reached the twist ties. I laughed to myself before moving to help her. But someone reached her before I did. They plucked a tie down and handed it to Emma. Nervously she took it before running back to me and hiding behind my leg. I followed my gaze up the broad torso of the man who had helped my daughter. Past the five o'clock shadow on his perfectly sculpted jaw, all the way up to the unforgettable sea of blue and green that was his eyes.

Josh

I was stunned. It felt lie the wind had been punched out of my chest by a 300 pound body builder. Here he just happened to be, at this store on this day and at this time. It's been almost six years since the last time I saw him. I didn't know what to say.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't little Riley Werner." Josh smiles his cocky little sideways grin.

"Joshua. It's been too long." I mock. He pulls me into his arms, keeping locked in his embrace long enough to inhale his familiar scent. Pulling away he sneaks a peck on my cheek.

"I know, it's been like 6 years." Josh purses his lips. I can see the memory of the last night we spent together swim past his eyes.

"Crazy isn't it?" Josh nods in agreement, looking down to Emma still standing behind me, nearly forgotten.

"Oh, Josh, this is my daughter Emma." I introduce them. Bending down I move Emma out in front of me. "Emma, this is an old friend of mommy's, Josh." Josh kneels down beside me. He puts his hand out to her. Emma looks at my timidly and I nod. Quickly, she shakes his hand.

I can see the amazement in his eyes as he stands back up. My stomach twists nervously.

"Wow, Riley, congratulations. She is gorgeous. She has your nose." He sighs.

"She does have my nose doesn't she?" I laugh. "So how are you doing Josh? I heard about you and Paige."

"Um, I'm well. I'm doing well. That was almost two years ago now. You know, things just weren't meant to be I guess. But it was civil and I don't regret anything." He answers nonchalantly. "How about you, seems like you're doing well."

"I'm doing okay. Being a single mom isn't ideal but I do what I can." I throw that last part in. Josh takes notice but says nothing.

"That's good."

"Yeah, like you, I'm just living day to day. No regrets." I nod. This exchange is becoming more and more awkward each second.

"Mommy?" Emma tugs on my pant leg.

"What baby?"

"I'm hungry." She whines.

"Oh you're hungry? You're always hungry. You never stop eating." I joke picking her up and slinging her on my hip.

"I should let you go." Josh hesitates, obviously hoping I stop him.

"Let me give you my number and maybe we can get together sometime." I comment placing Emma in the cart. Josh pulls out his phone and I spout off my number to him. "Call me sometime."

"I will." I hear him promise as I head off towards the checkout.