Read Online Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Bryan Reardon
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watching Laney. She ran across the yard (Tairyn’s), chasing Becca (Tairyn’s daughter) and her little sister Jewel. The girls, all below school age, shrieked and giggled.
“Hi, Simon.”
I turned my attention away from the girls and found that Tairyn had slipped in beside me.
“Hey there,” I said.
“How’s Rachel? I saw on Facebook that she’s in London.”
My wife’s job had recently expanded to international business law. This sent her across the pond and back quite often.
“I think so,” I said.
“You think she’s in London?” Tairyn laughed.
From a purely impartial perspective, Tairyn happened to be beautiful. Her long, naturally blond hair looked like it belonged on a model. In fact, most of her looked that way, from her large blue eyes, her pouty mouth, her (as my college buddy would say) banging body. She dressed as if walking the streets of SoHo, in high Italian leather boots and perfectly disheveled layers of clothing that somehow flattered her figure. I wondered what might have led her to the same banal existence I’d blundered into.
“No, she is. She gets back . . .” I did not have to think about it. I knew the exact moment she would return, because the second she did, I would run screaming from the house, desperately needing some time away from the kids. Tairyn’s arrival simply erased my memory.
“Friday,” she finished for me. “You’re a mess, Mr. Connolly.”
I shook my head, attempting sheepishness. “I am.”
“Anywho, Becca asked if Laney could come over tomorrow. Figure it might give you some time to yourself.”
I froze, as asinine as that sounds. Rachel had coached me for this moment. Playdates had transformed as Laney aged. Like her mother, my daughter engaged everyone and always looked for the party. She made friends with every kid in the neighborhood, including those Jake had written off as mean or weird.
I had not adjusted well. I still preferred having the kids at home with me. Laney went to preschool until twelve thirty, so the two ofus usually ran errands or stopped by the bookstore in the afternoon. Laney met Jake off the bus like a puppy left home alone all day. Jake tended to pick her up and hug her. The two got along great and spent most afternoons fighting imaginary, medieval armies in the basement, Jake the strong, silent knight and Laney (to my delight) the brilliant, effervescent, ax-wielding dwarf.
In the past, Tairyn, along with others, asked to have her over after school. I almost always said no. If Rachel happened to be traveling, then I always said no. In simple, easily understood words, Rachel explained that I had to change my ways. She said the next time someone requested our daughter, pause, breathe, and say yes.
I paused and took a breath, glancing over at Laney. She danced and carried on, totally immersed in the group, a bag of true happy.
“So different,” I thought I said to myself.
“What?” Tairyn asked.
“Oh, nothing.”
She looked at me, utterly confused. I just found it amazing how different my Laney was from Jake—yin and yang. I didn’t really want to go into all that with Tairyn, though.
“Yes,” I said.
“Yes what?” A surprised laugh punctuated her question.
“She can play tomorrow.”
Tairyn appeared shocked, as if she expected me to decline. “Okay, then. Do you want to drop her off after you pick her up from school?”
My head cocked to the right. How did she know when I picked her up, or that she even went to preschool? Rachel said our neighborhood was a village. At times, I worried the townspeople might brandish pitchforks and chase me out.
“Excellent.”
The bus rumbled into view. I smiled, fidgeted, and Tairyn eased up to Karen and complimented her Uggs. I stood, alone again, staring at the yellow behemoth as it inched closer. Laney grabbed my legand did her little excited dance. She pushed ahead of the adults, anxiously waiting as the bus came to a stop. The doors opened and her dance
“Hi, Simon.”
I turned my attention away from the girls and found that Tairyn had slipped in beside me.
“Hey there,” I said.
“How’s Rachel? I saw on Facebook that she’s in London.”
My wife’s job had recently expanded to international business law. This sent her across the pond and back quite often.
“I think so,” I said.
“You think she’s in London?” Tairyn laughed.
From a purely impartial perspective, Tairyn happened to be beautiful. Her long, naturally blond hair looked like it belonged on a model. In fact, most of her looked that way, from her large blue eyes, her pouty mouth, her (as my college buddy would say) banging body. She dressed as if walking the streets of SoHo, in high Italian leather boots and perfectly disheveled layers of clothing that somehow flattered her figure. I wondered what might have led her to the same banal existence I’d blundered into.
“No, she is. She gets back . . .” I did not have to think about it. I knew the exact moment she would return, because the second she did, I would run screaming from the house, desperately needing some time away from the kids. Tairyn’s arrival simply erased my memory.
“Friday,” she finished for me. “You’re a mess, Mr. Connolly.”
I shook my head, attempting sheepishness. “I am.”
“Anywho, Becca asked if Laney could come over tomorrow. Figure it might give you some time to yourself.”
I froze, as asinine as that sounds. Rachel had coached me for this moment. Playdates had transformed as Laney aged. Like her mother, my daughter engaged everyone and always looked for the party. She made friends with every kid in the neighborhood, including those Jake had written off as mean or weird.
I had not adjusted well. I still preferred having the kids at home with me. Laney went to preschool until twelve thirty, so the two ofus usually ran errands or stopped by the bookstore in the afternoon. Laney met Jake off the bus like a puppy left home alone all day. Jake tended to pick her up and hug her. The two got along great and spent most afternoons fighting imaginary, medieval armies in the basement, Jake the strong, silent knight and Laney (to my delight) the brilliant, effervescent, ax-wielding dwarf.
In the past, Tairyn, along with others, asked to have her over after school. I almost always said no. If Rachel happened to be traveling, then I always said no. In simple, easily understood words, Rachel explained that I had to change my ways. She said the next time someone requested our daughter, pause, breathe, and say yes.
I paused and took a breath, glancing over at Laney. She danced and carried on, totally immersed in the group, a bag of true happy.
“So different,” I thought I said to myself.
“What?” Tairyn asked.
“Oh, nothing.”
She looked at me, utterly confused. I just found it amazing how different my Laney was from Jake—yin and yang. I didn’t really want to go into all that with Tairyn, though.
“Yes,” I said.
“Yes what?” A surprised laugh punctuated her question.
“She can play tomorrow.”
Tairyn appeared shocked, as if she expected me to decline. “Okay, then. Do you want to drop her off after you pick her up from school?”
My head cocked to the right. How did she know when I picked her up, or that she even went to preschool? Rachel said our neighborhood was a village. At times, I worried the townspeople might brandish pitchforks and chase me out.
“Excellent.”
The bus rumbled into view. I smiled, fidgeted, and Tairyn eased up to Karen and complimented her Uggs. I stood, alone again, staring at the yellow behemoth as it inched closer. Laney grabbed my legand did her little excited dance. She pushed ahead of the adults, anxiously waiting as the bus came to a stop. The doors opened and her dance
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