Love Unexpected

Chapter tree: Sophia

During the whole process of waiting in line at the self-check-out lane, handing Alex the cart content for scanning and leaving the store I kept peppering Eddy, as he said I could call him, with questions. In the back of my mind, I suspected something weird was happening. He was still holding both our kids, and for some reason I didn't get that feeling parents get when a stranger gets too comfortable with their offspring. My daughter was proper asleep on his shoulder, and my cantankerous son calmly held Eddy's hand. Erik was almost behaving like a normal human child. That's probably why I wanted to know more about Eddy! I reassured myself, that's right, he did tell me that he acted a lot like my son when he was younger. I was just being a good mother. I shut up the little voice in the back of my mind that was trying to raise alarm bells. I was a happily married woman, my husband was right there in front of me and he asked as many questions as I did, almost! We found out that he was second to last child out of five, and his mother called him and his younger brother oops premenopausal babies. I am ashamed to say that made me laugh. I guess that's why he would have laughed at the sight of me and Alex pulling at our seven-year-old. I mean, if your own mother, to your face, called you an oops baby. I guess it would be pretty possible to develop a weird sense of humor. When I asked him if he was offended by his mother calling him that, he said no, since it was quite obvious. Tristan, their third born, was seventeen years older than him. Had he been planned, it would have qualified as a feat of pure genius on his mother's part. Eddy told me.

- So Tristan is thirty-six?

-no, thirty-seven. He was born in April.

-oh! You'll be twenty this year?

-yep! in September.

-that's not far from July!

- I know, but saying I'm nineteen and three quarters and a half seems like a mouthful! Alex, who had been arranging the bags in the cart, burst out laughing and I followed right along.

- You know, if you want to look older so badly, you could always grow a beard. Alex said, still laughing.

- I would if I could, but historically, unless I genetically lean more on my mom's side of the gene pool, I might get to grow a beard by thirty-five! because my dad is seventy-five and even his poor excuse of a mustache doesn't connect!

We had gotten to the car by then, and without needing to be told how, Eddy fastened Erik in his booster seat and did the same for Luna. To thank him for his help, Alex and I had bought a basket of fruit and snacks for him that we left in the cart while loading up the trunk of our SUV. by the time Eddy had both kids situated and joined us, we were done and closing the trunk

-it's a shame you don't have all of this! Alex bragged, stroking his five o'clock shadow beard. Just look, this would be a full luscious beard if I was inclined to grow it!

-can I? Eddy brought his hand halfway up my husband's face, making his intent clear. while Alex was only a head shorter than Eddy, i barely reached Eddy's chest. I don't know why we both froze up, but this moment felt significant for some reason. when Alex nodded yes, Eddy brought his hand the rest of the way up, he'd move closer to me, including me in whatever had me holding my breath right now. He started by running his fingers lightly over Alex's left cheek, then he moved his thumb to Alex's right cheek, lightly grazing the underside of his bottom lip. Eddy turned his large hand so my husband's jaw was comfortably resting on his palm. That's a very nice beard Alexander, color me jealous.

The fact that he said this so calmly was unnerving. He dropped his hand, but still, I felt like something more was about to happen. I waited for it with bated breath, and by the look on Alex's face, so did he it seemed. But Eddy's head twitched a bit, and he leaned back against the car, putting some distance between him and us. The moment, over apparently! he pointed at the cart with the gift basket still inside.

-you forgot something.

-uhm! I said my mind still trying to understand what the hell just happened, this... this is for you!

- Yes, to thank you for helping us out today! Alex added

-that's very nice of you guys but also unnecessary. I can't accept this!

-why not? I asked.

- that would like accepting payment for a good deed, then I'll feel so bad about it later, that I might end up not helping anybody ever! Do you really want the rest of the world to not experience my greatness with children? he smiled

-you are really great with kids. I agreed, with an answering smile of my own. But we would feel better if there was something we could help you with too.

- There is actually Nat, my best friend, is touring Cambridge and I'm doing the same here in Pittsburgh, so if you have any recommendations for somewhere nice to eat, a Korean barbecue, and somewhere with a view. it will be much appreciated!

-well, if you're looking for somewhere with a view, that's easy! point state park, right? I turned to Alex to see if we were in agreement.

-well, we could just drive him around tomorrow? he asked, uncertain. If your parents are still coming to pick up the kids

-they are! I smiled, recognizing the last bit of his sentence for the out it was if playing tourist with Eddy was not to my liking. What do you think, Eddy? Would you like to come with us on a grand tour of Pittsburgh?

-I would love to, but are you sure that's what you want to do on your day off from the kids?

-we're the ones who came up with this. We wouldn't have said anything if we didn't want to!

-true, and I would play coy for a while more just to be polite, but I don't know anybody here. I stupidly booked a week here by myself, and I would like to see you guys again!

- Okay, that settles it then, we'll see you tomorrow!

- What time would work better for you? Alex asked

- I'm free as a bird! We can meet up somewhere whenever you can. Are you returning the basket?

- No! Alex responded, we're going to a friend's baby shower on Sunday. We can just add the gift basket to the present we got them already.

-okay. Eddy pulled his phone out of his back pocket, unlocked it and handed it to Alex. Can I have your number so we can coordinate for tomorrow.

Alex passed me Eddy's phone when he was done and I did the same. Eddy put his phone back in his back pocket when I handed it him after saving my number on there. Eddy spread his arm open asking for a hug and I gladly walked into his embrace. i was a touchy feely kind of human especially around people I was comfortable with. I know it really quick, but Eddy felt comfortable. i liked that he didn't just assume it was okay to grab at me, but simply opened his arms with an it's okay if you don't want to look. I liked that he wrapped his arms tightly around me and leaned down to kiss the top of my head making me smile.

-it was nice meeting you Sophia. he smiled releasing me.

- it was nice meeting you too Eddy. I responded

-it was nice meeting you too Alexander, he smiled turning to my husband who responded in kind. I'll see you both tomorrow. Eddy said heading for the store, he turned to wave at goodbye one last time and disappear back inside the store. We both stared after him until hi disappeared completely from our view then me and Alex both moved in unison. He picked up the gift basket to throw it in the trunk with the rest of our stuff, and I walked the cart to the corral closest to the car. When we had finished double checking that the kids were both secure in their car seats, Alex got in the driver seat and I buckled myself in the passenger seat. while Alex fiddled with his seat belt I put some music on, he got us on our way home. something weird was definitely happening and I still didn't want to think about it. it felt like something big, like something that had the potential to change our lives, and whatever it was I wasn't ready to acknowledge it. I would procrastinate dealing with whatever the f**k was happening right now until I definitely had to. Eddy sent us an "hi, Eddy here, this is my number!" in a group chat, i sent an okay and put the phone back down as Erik kept peppering me with questions.

After we had gotten home, put Luna in her bed, Erik went off to the play room and lugged the groceries in, it was business as usual for both me and Alex. While he put the the groceries away i cooked some birria tacos and a Caesar salad for dinner, since it was already six pm when we got home. when it was done Alex helped me set the table, and I call the kids who were both up by then for dinner.

We were done with the night time routine of both kids, which took extra long today for Luna since she had a nap earlier and didn't tire herself enough chasing after her brother both before and after dinner. She kept asking for stories from her father until he finally had enough and asked her to simply close her eyes and wait for sleep to come.

I took a quick shower after Alex and changed into my pajama short set that I loved because it was made of silk and felt incredible against my skin. I found him leaning his back against the head board swiping at his iPad. When I got in the bed with him , he dropped his iPad on the bedside table and stared at me for the longest time. he seemed to be looking for or thinking about something, Alex had always been the quiet observant type while I often suffered from word vomit. he never just said thing for the sake of it without meaning to, even in anger. It was one of the things I liked about him the most, he wasn't like my mother or some of my family members who would say the meanest most emotionally scaring s**t when they were mad and expect a half hearted sorry when it was all said and done to fix everything. So i waited for him to find the words he was looking for.

- so... that hug? Alex asked

-humm... I mumble unsure of what the appropriate answer was.

-And the...beard thing? Alex indicated waving his hand in front of his face.

-yes...

-were you bothered with any of it? he asked finally expanding on the on the baby sentences he's been feeding me so far.

-I don't think so, but I also am not sure of what exactly happened. how about you?

-same with me, do you want to talk about it?

-I wouldn't know where to begin to be honest with you. Or what to talk about exactly!

-And I'm certain I wouldn't fare any better. Alex turned off the lights and drew me in a cuddle. I fell asleep almost immediately. I was so f*****g tired of running around all day with unruly children hell bent on making me run a marathon.