Carol pulled up to her old street and sighed. Sophia going to visit Ed for the weekend had been the plan. But apparently that hadn't worked out since Sophia ended up at her friends house next door after only four hours. She got out of the car bracing herself for whatever new development had occurred to cause Sophia to sleep over with Sasha's daughter Jade.

Sophia was only five, and was already most certainly more mature than her father. She knew she had a safe place to go if she didn't want to stay with Ed, and for that Carol was greatful. She had been prepared to go get her from Sasha's house last night, but Jade and Sophia had decided that a sleep over was in order.

She knocked at the door and held her breath against the worry that now clouded her mind. Sasha opened the door with a big smile.

"Carol, nice to see you! We miss you around here you know."

"Hi Sasha. I miss you guys too. Where's Soph?"

"Her and Jade are in the back yard playing. Come on in."

They walked through the house and to the back sliding glass doors. Before they could be opened, Sasha stopped her with a hand to her shoulder. "He started drinking last night. As soon as Sophia knew that, she came over here. I hope that was ok."

Carol groaned. "Definately. I know he is supposed to have her every other weekend, but how can I keep sending her if he won't stop drinking around her?"

Sasha shook her head. "I don't know Carol. Maybe you should see about a lawyer and changing the schedule. She knows to come over here, but what would have happened if he had decided to go for a drive with her after drinking?"

Their discussion was cut off once Sophia spied her mom through the doorway. She ran up to the door and opened it, embracing her mom in her tiny arms. "Mama! I had so much fun last night with Jade. Can we do it again soon?"

Sasha answered for Carol saying "Of course little one. You are welcome here any time, any day. But for now, you better get your stuff together to put in the car."

Once Sophia ran down to Jade's room to get her backpack, Carol turned to Sasha. "Thank you. You know it means a lot to me that you are here for her if she needs it on Ed's nights with her."

"No worries" Sasha assured and gave Carol a quick hug.

When they got in the car and Sophia was buckled up, Carol turned to her and said "How does pizza sound for dinner?"

"I want double olives this time mama!"

"Sure thing. We are going to Barnstormers for dinner. I want you to meet a friend of mine."

"Who?"

"His name is Daryl."

"I don't know anybody named Daryl mama. Who is he?"

"Well, he is a man that I just met recently. He is a very nice man, and we went out for coffee today. He likes pizza too, so we decided to meet up and all have dinner together."

Sophia was excited to go, and Carol was thankful that her little girl didn't press the issue on who exactly Daryl was. Carol hadn't shared anything with her about her beginning to date, and honestly was not sure how to approach it. As they drove through town, she found herself starting to smile wider and wider at the thought of seeing Daryl again. Sophia noticed her smile and smiled back.

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The entryway into Barnstormers was crowded with people waiting for tables. Daryl was glad that he got there early enough to have Glenn hold a booth for them. When he had first arrived, Glenn immediately pounced, asking how his date went.

"Man, she's the greatest Glenn. She is so nice and easy to talk to. She's gorgeous too."

"So, I am assuming this one will get a second date?"

"Actually, that's why I'm here. Can I get a table for three please?"

"Three? When I said second date Daryl, I didn't mean you and two women."

"Shuddup. No, we had a great time and didn't want the date to end. She had to go get her little girl, but the three of us are gonna have dinner here."

Daryl thoroughly enjoyed the sight of Glenn momentarily speechless with his jaw hanging open.

"You are meeting her kid? That must have been some date."

"Yeah. Well, her kid is her life, and I wanna be in her life. The sooner the better."

"Jeez Daryl, rush much?"

"Don't feel like a rush though man. Didn't seem that way for her either. Just shuddup and hold a table? They'll be here at 5:30."

"Sure thing man."

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Carol spied Daryl immediately, and flashed a smile at him. Holding Sophia's hand, she walked over to him. She couldn't help but notice the quirky smile he had on his face when he spotted her and Sophia.

"Sophia, this is mommy's friend Daryl. Daryl, this is Sophia."

Sophia looked up at the man in front of her. He had knelt down to talk to her, and she saw that he was smiling kindly at her. She thought he looked nice, and mama said he was. She smiled back at him.

"Hi Daryl. Do you like olives on your pizza too?"

He laughed. "I like any kind of pizza you put in front of me, but olives sound good to me."

"I like double olives on my pizza, is that ok?"

"Olives sound great Sophia." He smiled up at Carol and then they started following Glenn to the reserved table. She was right he thought – olives did sound great.