A Family For Easter. Lee McClain Tobin

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СКАЧАТЬ minutes later, he texted Fiona.

      Pizza’s on me. Come on over and bring your kids.

      The kids consumed the pizza in record time, and the older four ran upstairs for the great task of room arrangement. Eduardo got the TV set up, and Fiona settled Maya and Poppy in front of a movie.

      It was all very homey and too, too comfortable. Having Fiona and her kids here made Eduardo realize how lonely he’d been.

      The problem was that in his loneliness there was the dangerous possibility he’d lead this wonderful woman on, make her think he was interested in a relationship when he wasn’t. Or shouldn’t be, anyway. He cast about for something to talk about, something serious and businesslike and impersonal.

      It didn’t take long for him to think of a safe topic. “Stay here,” he said, “I found something in one of the closets.”

      A moment later he was back at the dining room table with a box in hand. “This was on the shelf in the room you said you were using for an office. Up high, pushed back. I took a peek and realized it might be important. Don’t worry, I didn’t read anything.”

      Fiona reached for the box with an expression of extreme distaste. “Is that what I think it is?” she murmured as she opened the lid.

      Inside was a mess of receipts and envelopes and papers. “Ugh,” she said as she shuffled through the papers aimlessly, then closed the lid. “Thanks for finding it.”

      “Sounds like you’d rather it had stayed lost.”

      “No,” she said, “it’s a good reminder, in case I ever get serious about starting another business. I can just pull this out and all those ideas will go away.”

      “That’s from your business?” Eduardo tried to keep any kind of judgment out of his voice, but in truth, the jumble of paperwork horrified him. He thought of his own carefully organized spreadsheets, his neatly labeled file folders, the app he used to keep track of small receipts.

      “Yeah.” She sighed. “I... Well, like I mentioned, I’m not too great at math. Or at being organized. So I kept putting off getting the money side of things straightened out. That was one of the factors that led to the dog-walking business failing.”

      He nodded. “A lot of people hire a bookkeeper if numbers aren’t their thing.”

      “I tried. She quit!” Fiona rolled her eyes. “I had too many kids, too much going on. I got overwhelmed and botched the details.”

      “Don’t get down on yourself,” he said, putting a hand over hers. “It’s hard enough running a business with two kids, and I can’t imagine doing it with four.” Then, when his hand wanted to squeeze hers tighter, he pulled it back. None of that, he told himself sternly.

      “Mama?” Poppy came over and leaned against Fiona’s leg, and Fiona pulled her up onto her lap.

      “How’s it going, kiddo? Where’s Maya?”

      “She went upstairs.” Poppy stuck her thumb in her mouth, which seemed like a young thing for a three-year-old to do. But she was awfully cute. And she provided a good distraction, wiping the sadness off Fiona’s face.

      “I remember when Sofia was that age,” he said. “And then Diego. They grow up so fast.”

      “I know. I want to cling on to my baby as long as I can. But she’s getting big.” As proof of that, Poppy wiggled hard to get down and started to slide to the floor.

      Eduardo reached over and caught her, hands around her upper arms. “Careful there, young lady,” he said, steadying her.

      She wiggled away and grabbed Fiona’s leg, looking back fearfully at Eduardo.

      “I’m sorry.” He looked from Poppy to Fiona. “I didn’t realize...”

      “She’s not much used to men, that’s all.” She pulled Poppy up onto her lap. “Mr. Delgado is a very nice man.”

      Poppy shook her head. “Not nice.”

      Oh, great. Now Fiona would think there was something wrong with him. Because kids and dogs always know, right?

      Fiona tapped Poppy’s lips gently and shook her head. “We use kind words,” she said and then reached out to Eduardo and patted his forearm. “She wasn’t around her father much at all, and... Well, we were in a lot of turmoil shortly after she was born. It’s had its impact.”

      “I understand. Diego went through a phase where he was nervous around strangers.”

      “I thought she’d have outgrown it by now.” Fiona looked out the window, seeming to see something disturbing through the deepening twilight. Absently, she stroked Poppy’s head until it rested against her chest. The little girl’s eyes were barely able to stay open.

      Eduardo wanted nothing more than to comfort Fiona, but that wasn’t his place...was it?

      He’d been fortunate enough to have a good marriage, with a wonderful woman. But he hadn’t been able to keep her safe.

      Yes, it had been bad timing. When the small landscaper he’d been working for had gone bankrupt, the minimal medical coverage he’d had for his family had been gone. It had taken time to get replacement coverage. To get a new job, too, what with a sick wife and two little kids. Once he’d finally found work, his new job had provided great benefits, even covering Elizabeth’s preexisting condition. But the three-month gap had meant spotty treatment at a crucial stage of Elizabeth’s illness, and although a couple of doctors had told him it wouldn’t have made a difference, he knew better.

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