Samantha.
It is Saturday. Alex and I stand on the curb waiting for Eli. He said he'd be here in five. We are going to the zoo. They have an animatronic dinosaur exhibit that Eli says Alex would love. Of course he will. He loves everything dinosaurs. He can name every single one. When I told Eli he chose well, he was exstatic. He said first impressions were the most important, so he was very nervous. I laughed at him. He is so cute. He was just as nervous on our first date, as was I.
He pulls up in five minutes just as he said he would. Alex stiffens at the sight of the red car.
"Wooooow!" He shouts. "It's wed, mommy, and shiny."
"Yes, red, your favorite."
Alex stomps his feet and wiggles with excitement. His curly brown hair dancing in the wind.
The driver door shuts with a slam and Alex runs behind me. Eli rounds the hood of the car with a smile bright and white like the moon. He is dressed down today. A lavender v-neck t-shirt, fitted blue jeans, and some white hightop sneakers. I've never seen him in casual clothes. He's only worn business attire around me. But, it seems he looks hot in anything he wears. With him dressed like this, I feel a little less sheepish. Usually, when we're out and he wears his suits, people would stare at us. The ladies eye fucked him and looked me up and down with disapproval. Some were bold enough to ask him out in front of me like I didn't exist. He is obivously out of my league. But,
I feel a little better seeing him dressed "normal". It's less intimidating. This way I can at least pretend we live in the same world.
"Luna." He leans over and kisses my cheek. Then he squats to Alex's level. "Hey there, whose this?"
"That's my little man, Alex, right bubbie?"
"Mhm." Alex peeks his head from behind my legs and stares at Eli.
"Really? Well Alex I'm Eli." He looks up at me quickly with a smile then back at Alex. "I'm your mommy's big man."
What? I start giggling uncontrolablely. What a weird thing to say. He could of went with friend. Still possessive of me even with children, I see.
"My mommy." Alex mumbles, squeezing my legs.
Eli looks up at me again with a frown, and I bite down on my bottom lip trying not to laugh harder.
"Alex, baby, Eli is mommy's friend."
"Fwiend?" He loosens his grib.
"Yeah, a good friend." Eli nods. He offers his palm upwards to Alex clearly expecting a five. "Can we be friends too?"
"Awe you nice?" Alex glares.
"The nicest." Eli chuckles.
Alex looks to me for approval and I nod. He finally smiles back and gives him a big five.
"Awesome! Wanna go to the zoo buddy?" Eli stands up. He reaches for the booster seat that I am holding in my left hand. He slowly pulls it from my hands as he gives me a quick kiss.
"The zoo!" Alex betrays me, letting go of my legs and grabbing hold of Eli's free hand. I am shocked for a moment. It usually takes him way longer to adjust to new people.
I watch as Eli slowly but perfectly straps the booster seat into the back seat. When he is done he counts to three and makes a rocketship noise. As he does, he lifts Alex off the ground and into the booster seat. Alex laughs so hard his face turns red. Now it is my favorite color too. They high-five before Eli closes the car door. He moves over to the front passenger and opens it for me.
"How am I doing?" He whispers into my ear as I am about to climb in.
"Great!" I smile. "Over and under." I tease.
"What?"
I ignore him and get into the car. The frosty air melts from my skin. The heat is on and I am very thankful. December has been rough. We already had two snow storms and winter technically hasn't even started. I warm my hands on the car vent.
"You ok back there babes?" I ask Alex as I peek back at him. He gives me a thumbs up.
"What about you? The zoo exhibit is indoors so you don't have to worry about the cold." Eli says as he buckles himself into the driverseat.
"I'm great." I reach over and squeeze his hand.
"Over and under?" He raises his eyebrow to me.
"Bunny ears!" I laugh at him being completely dumb founded. "Tying your shoes... when you were putting the booster seat in. You did it slow and carefully like a kid whose just learning to tie his shoes."
"I mean I had to watch a couple of online tutorials before I got here." He laughs nervously.
"That's so sweet of you." I lean over and kiss his cheek.
"If I get a kiss for that, what do I get for the actual booster seat I bought in the trunk." He winks and wiggles his brows.
"Your money back!" I squeak. "Why would you buy one without checking if I had one first?"
"I just figured since you don't have a car, you wouldn't."
"I guess it's fine. I borrowed it from Jared."
Eli lets off a low growl.
"What was that mommy?" Alex calls from the back.
"Nothing sweetie." I whack Eli in the arm. "Just the car."
Eli silently mouths that he is sorry and takes out his phone. Soon mines pings. He texted me. No doubt not wanting to have this conversation in front of Alex, which I appreciate. I would of appreciated it more if he'd wait for another time or drop it all together.
The text reads "He was here, when?"
His possesive side was really annoying sometimes. Another male can't even breathe around me or he will be on the verge of turning into a wolf. Come to think of it, I never saw him actually turn into a wolf.
Jared stopped by briefly yesterday to drop off the seat. He told me I needed to be careful and for some reason seemed very interested in where I was going and with who. We've been communicating better, which was great being that we needed to in order to successfully co-parent. Even though he texts me more than I like and yes he's asked me out more than I am comfortable. I always turn him down. That's all that should matter. I can't stop talking to the guy. He is my son's father. There is always going to be an open line of communicattion but strictly in regards to Alex. I just hope thay he takes the hint.
"Yes, yesterday." I answer out loud.
"For?"
"The booster seat." I glare at him.
"Ok." He finally starts driving.
The first few minutes are awkward silence so I ask him to put on the radio. The music fills the car leaving everything but the awkwardness behind. I shuffle uncomfortably in my seat. Then I hear Alex singing in the back.
"We counting staws!" He sings at the top of his lungs causing both Eli and I to chuckle.
"Baby, Ive been Ive been losing sleep!" Eli joins in and catching me off guard. "Dreaming about the things that we could be.."
He can hold a note, but his voice is far from perfect. Even so, I am captivated. I feel like he means the words he is singing, or maybe it is because there it's truth in those lyrics for me. Late nights rolling around in bed missing him and wanting more of him.
"But baby!" Alex sang in a shout.
"I've been, I've been praying hard." I chime in. Eli and I are singing in sinc with the radio and Alex is somewhat more like a backup singer who forgot the lyrics. It's cute.
"Said no more counting dollars, we'll be" I turn to face Alex, who throws his hands in the air.
"We be counting Staws!!!!"
Eli lets out a big belly laugh as he slaps one of his hands down on the steering wheel to the beat of the song. His laugh is so hearty and contagious it has me and Alex laughing as well. We giggle and clap through the rest of the song.
When the song finishes Alex is eager to ask to sing another one.
"Another one? You got it buddy!" Eli smiles over his shoulder.
We sing and laugh all the way to the zoo.