Read Online Winter Hopes (Seasons of Love) by Jennifer Gracen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Gracen
Ads: Link
found the stupid wand, the fairy princess is ready to go, all the kids are ready. Let’s go get some candy.”
“Thanks, Ty,” Lydia murmured. He winked and led her back out to the foyer.
It was a perfect day for trick or treating. The sky was a pale blue, the temperature hovered around sixty degrees, and the soft winds that blew were cool but not cold. Leaves of rust and gold fluttered down from the trees, falling lightly on people as they walked up and down the sidewalks. The sweet noises of children laughing and calling out to each other echoed along the streets.
At one point, a huge yellow leaf sailed down and fell right on Lydia’s head. She smiled as she reached up to grab it, studying its edges and lines. It made her think of Sam. The first time they’d really talked, sitting together in the garden, a leaf like this—almost the same exact shade of yellow—had floated down towards them… Sam had reached up and caught it easily, then held it out to her, offering it to her like a present. She smiled to herself as she recalled the endearing look on his face, the way his warm brown eyes had twinkled with amusement…
She handed Jane her camera and asked for a picture of her holding the leaf. Jane gave her a puzzled look, but did what her sister asked.
The afternoon didn’t turn out to be as bad as Lydia had imagined it would be. Matt was on his best behavior. He was quiet, but not morose, smiled at all the kids often, and made an actual effort to be a part of the group. He and Lydia barely spoke, but they took turns holding Andy’s hand, and the other parent would dutifully snap pictures. Jane wasn’t overly friendly to Matt, but for civility’s sake she was courteous to him in front of the children. Always easygoing Tyler chatted with Matt about neutral topics like baseball and business. The four children were seemingly oblivious to any tension, too caught up in their Halloween activities as they made their way around the neighborhood.
By five o’clock, they were all exhausted. They headed back to the Aronson house to get off their feet and look through all the loot. “We’ll order pizza for dinner,” Jane announced as they reached the front steps. The kids all cheered. She turned to Matt and said coolly, “You’re welcome to stay for dinner, if you like.”
“Thank you,” Matt said, “but I’m actually gonna get going soon. You’ve been more than gracious already. Thanks anyway.”
Jane arched an eyebrow at him. “You’re welcome.” She turned away to follow her husband and help usher the kids into the house.
“Lydia, wait,” Matt said, reaching for her arm before she could go inside. “Can we talk for a minute?”
Lydia’s insides automatically tensed up. She’d almost been relaxed, but that feeling quickly disappeared with Matt’s sudden request. She went and closed the heavy front door almost all the way, leaving it open a crack so they wouldn’t be locked out. She turned back to Matt and crossed her arms over her chest. “What is it?”
“I, uh…” Matt shuffled his feet and crossed his arms too. “I appreciate your inviting me to come along today, letting me go with you all and be with Andy. I really do. Thanks.”
Floored, Lydia managed, “You’re welcome.”
They stood in uncomfortable silence for a few seconds.
“Is that all?” Lydia asked.
“No.” Matt sighed, ran his hands through his light brown hair in an uneasy gesture, then crossed his arms again. “This was… decent, right? We all managed to get along. It wasn’t horrible.”
Lydia swallowed hard as she admitted, “Yes. It was decent.”
“Lyddie, we’re going to have to get used to this. We’re officially divorced now. This is how it’s going to be from now on. For the rest of Andy’s life. We have to be able to do these things, to get through them, for his sake. Don’t you think?”
She stared at Matt in disbelief. “Yes, of course. I’ve said that to you a thousand times. But this
“Thanks, Ty,” Lydia murmured. He winked and led her back out to the foyer.
It was a perfect day for trick or treating. The sky was a pale blue, the temperature hovered around sixty degrees, and the soft winds that blew were cool but not cold. Leaves of rust and gold fluttered down from the trees, falling lightly on people as they walked up and down the sidewalks. The sweet noises of children laughing and calling out to each other echoed along the streets.
At one point, a huge yellow leaf sailed down and fell right on Lydia’s head. She smiled as she reached up to grab it, studying its edges and lines. It made her think of Sam. The first time they’d really talked, sitting together in the garden, a leaf like this—almost the same exact shade of yellow—had floated down towards them… Sam had reached up and caught it easily, then held it out to her, offering it to her like a present. She smiled to herself as she recalled the endearing look on his face, the way his warm brown eyes had twinkled with amusement…
She handed Jane her camera and asked for a picture of her holding the leaf. Jane gave her a puzzled look, but did what her sister asked.
The afternoon didn’t turn out to be as bad as Lydia had imagined it would be. Matt was on his best behavior. He was quiet, but not morose, smiled at all the kids often, and made an actual effort to be a part of the group. He and Lydia barely spoke, but they took turns holding Andy’s hand, and the other parent would dutifully snap pictures. Jane wasn’t overly friendly to Matt, but for civility’s sake she was courteous to him in front of the children. Always easygoing Tyler chatted with Matt about neutral topics like baseball and business. The four children were seemingly oblivious to any tension, too caught up in their Halloween activities as they made their way around the neighborhood.
By five o’clock, they were all exhausted. They headed back to the Aronson house to get off their feet and look through all the loot. “We’ll order pizza for dinner,” Jane announced as they reached the front steps. The kids all cheered. She turned to Matt and said coolly, “You’re welcome to stay for dinner, if you like.”
“Thank you,” Matt said, “but I’m actually gonna get going soon. You’ve been more than gracious already. Thanks anyway.”
Jane arched an eyebrow at him. “You’re welcome.” She turned away to follow her husband and help usher the kids into the house.
“Lydia, wait,” Matt said, reaching for her arm before she could go inside. “Can we talk for a minute?”
Lydia’s insides automatically tensed up. She’d almost been relaxed, but that feeling quickly disappeared with Matt’s sudden request. She went and closed the heavy front door almost all the way, leaving it open a crack so they wouldn’t be locked out. She turned back to Matt and crossed her arms over her chest. “What is it?”
“I, uh…” Matt shuffled his feet and crossed his arms too. “I appreciate your inviting me to come along today, letting me go with you all and be with Andy. I really do. Thanks.”
Floored, Lydia managed, “You’re welcome.”
They stood in uncomfortable silence for a few seconds.
“Is that all?” Lydia asked.
“No.” Matt sighed, ran his hands through his light brown hair in an uneasy gesture, then crossed his arms again. “This was… decent, right? We all managed to get along. It wasn’t horrible.”
Lydia swallowed hard as she admitted, “Yes. It was decent.”
“Lyddie, we’re going to have to get used to this. We’re officially divorced now. This is how it’s going to be from now on. For the rest of Andy’s life. We have to be able to do these things, to get through them, for his sake. Don’t you think?”
She stared at Matt in disbelief. “Yes, of course. I’ve said that to you a thousand times. But this
Similar Books
