"Movie and pizza, my house tonight?"
Lucas stared at the text for twenty minutes. It sounded like something Catie would enjoy. He hadn't watched a movie in forever, except for animated ones.
"I'm not feeling like a princess movie right now. Thanks though."
"No princesses in sight. Ever seen Roman Holiday?"
"Not sure Catie would enjoy it."
"Not Catie. Molly and Bill said they'd watch her."
"You asked my boss and his wife to babysit my daughter?"
"Your boss happens to essentially be my Uncle and they offered because they have a new kitten. I told them I'd ask you."
"So a movie and pizza, just us? Sounds like a date."
"Nope. Just two friends hanging out."
He still wouldn't classify them as friends. Acquaintances, yes. A man who was simultaneously annoyed by and attracted to the woman, absolutely.
"Look, no pressure. I'll enjoy the movie and pizza by myself. Have a good night, Lucas."
"Pizza sounds good," he told her a few moments later.
"Great! 7pm? What do you like on your pizza?"
"I'm not picky."
"Okay. C u then."A few hours later, he found himself standing in her living room, staring at a picture on her mantle of her in a wedding dress, kissing her new husband.
"It was the perfect day," she told Lucas, walking in the room with two pizza boxes, napkins and plates.
"You looked happy."
"Very. He was an amazing man. I loved him very much."
"What happened?'
"We had been married about six months and one night, just after Christmas, he was coming home from work. It was snowing hard and he slid off the road. His car rolled."
"I'm sorry."
"Thanks." She opened the pizza box and sat down, using the remote to turn on the TV. "So, Catie's mom?"
"Yeah. I don't talk about her much."
"Okay." Elizabeth nodded, allowing it. She had shared and if he wasn't willing, it was his choice. She wouldn't push.
"She decided to leave Catie and me for my best friend." Well that explained so much about the man sitting next to her.
"Oh no. That's...terrible."
"Its been four years. I still wonder what I could have done differently."
"Lucas...why are you blaming yourself?"
"It was the beginning of my list of failures."
"Did you tell her to cheat on you? Were you mean or abusive to her?"
"Of course not."
"You cannot blame yourself for choices others make. She chose to hurt you and Catie. You didn't force her."
His mother had said the same. He still felt that if he'd maybe told her he loved her more or made more money and bought her more nice things...maybe his life would be different.
"Lucas, I'm going to say one more thing and then we can drop it."
He nodded. He really couldn't stop her.
"You didn't cause her to cheat anymore than I caused my husband's car to roll off the road." She put her soft hand on his arm and met his eyes. "Bad things happen, whether because of choices or chance. Don't let her win by taking her blame. Move on."
His eyes filled with tears, knowing deep down she was right. There had just been so much hurt in his heart for so long, he wasn't sure how to let go of it.
"I honestly don't know how," he admitted.
She smiled and pressed play. "I'd say pizza and a movie with a friend is a good start."Faith leaned forward over her ice cream bowl and smiled. "Then what happened?"
"We watched the movie and ate pizza."
"He didn't try to hold your hand or kiss you?"
"Faith, the man barely tolerates me."
"Maybe right now, but I bet underneath that, he wants to give it a chance."
"Yeah, I don't know."
She knew that putting them in the "friend zone" kept it safe for him. She wouldn't push anything else because then he'd be gone, just that quick. He needed to learn to trust her, forgive his ex and then maybe his heart would open. If and when that happened, she'd be right there waiting."Bowling?" Lucas muttered as he stared at the text. He hadn't been bowling in...forever.
"Catie too?" he texted back.
"Of course."
"Okay, I bet she'll like that."
"What about u?"
"What about me?"
"Will u enjoy it?"
He didn't answer, just asked what time and then left his phone on the counter. "Alright Cates, bath, pj's and bed."
"Dad?" Catie asked as she played in the tub a few minutes later.
"Yep."
"Why don't I have a mommy?"
He dropped the baby shampoo in the water, the splash making her giggle. He knew one day this question would come up. He was honestly surprised it had taken this long.
"The kids at school all talk about their mommy's but I don't have one."
"Well, Cates, everyone has a Mommy. But yours…"
How could he make her understand?
"I don't have one, Dad."
"Her name is Randi. She lives back in Arkansas."
"If she's my mommy, why doesn't she live here?"
"Because she decided she didn't want to be with us anymore."
"She didn't love us?"
"I don't think she knew how, Cates. Now, close your eyes while I wash your hair."
"Do I look like her?"
"Yes. You do." Lucas tried not to dwell on that but Catie was the spitting image of Randi Bouchard, or whatever her last name was now. Down to the tiny birthmark on her shoulder.
"Can I see a picture?"
He had one. He had kept it for Catie. It sat in a box in his dresser drawer waiting for ever curious Catie Ann to ask.
"Let's get you out and dried off and then I'll show you, alright?"
"Okay."Lucas shut off Catie's lamp and closed her door, leaving the picture of her mommy next to her bed like Catie wanted.
Lucas grabbed his phone and texted Elizabeth before he could talk himself out of it.
"Catie asked about her mom tonight."
Elizabeth called him a moment later. "Hey. How did that go?"
"It was hard….but past time. I just answered her questions and showed her the one picture I kept of her."
"Do you miss her?"
"Absolutely not," he said quickly. "The woman cheated on me with my best friend and then left us. She doesn't deserve to have anyone miss her."
"Okay."
He did miss someone at home waiting for him after work and someone to share parenting issues with. He missed the exhilarating honeymoon period that first year and all that entails.
"Luke?"
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry that happened to you."
"Thanks. Um, about bowling. We'll be there."
"Great. It will be fun."
"I'm not sure if you've noticed but fun isn't something that I have very often."
"Oh, I've noticed. Hang out with me for a bit and that'll change."Valley Lanes, the next day
"Dad! I knocked 'em down!" Catie yelled, so much joy on her face he couldn't stop himself from grinning too.
"I saw, baby. Good job!"
"Thank you." She hugged him and then watched as Elizabeth knocked down all the pins. "Yay! Elizabeth, you did it! You get an X!"
"Thank you, sweetie."
Lucas watched as Elizabeth cheered on Catie and how much Catie loved Elizabeth. It was good to see her connect with someone. If only he knew how to let go of Randi and accept Elizabeth's friendship. He felt like maybe he was getting there with Elizabeth, but the letting go of Randi…he didn't know how.
"Lucas?"
"Huh?"
He turned his head to Elizabeth in confusion.
"It's your turn, Dad," Catie told him. "Knock them all down!"
He smiled at his daughter and picked up his ball. He wasn't that great of a bowler.
His ball always seemed to travel to the edges instead of down the middle.
This time was no different. "Aw, Dad. That's okay. You'll get better."
Elizabeth saw the smile on his face for his daughter's sake, but she could see that he was so rough on himself, even in a game of fun.
"I bet Elizabeth can help you throw it straight."
His cheeks colored as he stared at his hand.
"I think your Dad did just fine, angel."
"Yeah. Yeah, he did great!"
Catie went over and hugged her Dad and sat on his lap. "It's just like me learning to read, Dad. I'm not that good but you told me that practice makes perfect."
"That's true, baby."
Elizabeth's heart filled hearing Catie, a five-year-old, making her Daddy feel better about himself. The man needed to see that not everything needed to be perfect. Just because he wasn't good at bowling didn't mean that he failed. She knew that's what he was thinking.
"So, what do you say?" Lucas said, looking at Elizabeth.
"About what?"
"Helping me?"
She looked at him, wide-eyed. Shocked. He looked just as surprised.
"Of course. What are friends for?" she spit out.
He nodded. When it was his turn to go, she stood too and walked up to the line with him. "So, I think you are just turning your wrist when you let go. Try to keep it straight."
The first try, he was still turning his wrist. So, this time, on his second shot, she stood behind him, one hand on his back and the other on his wrist.
He felt goosebumps breakout all over his body with her gentle hand on his back and the light touch on his wrist. She looked up at him and he just about passed out. Goodness, her blue eyes, and she smelled so good.
"Um…"
"Is this okay?" she asked.
"Yeah." She could feel his nervousness, his stiff posture. Yet, his eyes held hers, strong.
"You ready, Lucas?"
"I..I don't…"
"To knock the pins down," she told him quietly, trying to calm him.
He nodded and she walked forward two steps and held his wrist as he threw the ball down the lane. It went straight and it knocked down all but one pin.
"Yay, Dad! Good job!"
He tried to sort his feelings through the rest of the outing. After bowling, Elizabeth offered to treat them to dinner at Abigail's but he declined. He didn't need her paying for their food all the time.
"Please, Dad? I want chicky fingys."
"Not tonight, baby. I can make us something at home."
Catie wrapped her arms around Elizabeth's slim waist and smiled up at her. "This was fun! Thank you, Elizabeth."
"Of course, angel. I had fun too."
"Will we see you tomorrow?" she asked, innocently.
"Probably not tomorrow, Cates," Lucas told her.
"Okay, Dad. Bye!" she said cheerfully, waving at Elizabeth.
"Bye, Catie and Lucas."
"Bye, Elizabeth. Thanks for inviting us."
That was the last time she saw them for the next week. She wanted to text him and find out how his week was going but she had a feeling that she had crossed over some invisible border between them and maybe it had scared him off.
"I could feel it," Elizabeth told Faith that evening. "There was a connection between us, and I know he felt something too. I shouldn't have touched him."
"You didn't do anything wrong, Beth. Just give him time."
"How much time?"
"Knowing what you've told me about him, it may take a very long time."
"Yeah. That's what I was afraid of."Lucas' apartment
He was staring at his phone. When he heard the text chime, he had thought it might be Elizabeth but shockingly, it was Randi. She hadn't contacted them since she had left.
"Dad?"
"Yeah, baby."
"Will you wash my hair?" Catie yelled from the bathtub.
"Yes. Coming."
As he poured warm water of Catie's golden curls, his mind of course traveled to Randi. Her hair was the same. Her blue eyes matched Catie's. Her grin matched Catie's.
"Dad?"
"What?"
"I think the soap is out." She rubbed the water out of her eyes and giggled.
"Oh, sorry, Cates. Let's get you dried off and into your pj's."
"Can you read me Cinderella? Please?"
"How about if you read it to me?"
"You don't like princesses, Dad."
"Sure, I do. You're my princess, Cates. I love you."
"Princesses are pretend, Dad. You're silly."
"Well, let's get to it. Cinderella awaits."
Anything to take him away from his phone and Randi's text. He did however wonder what she wanted though.