Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
It took almost two hours, but the girls finally picked costumes. They tried to convince their mom to dress up, but she wasn’t going out with them. Kiran would take the girls trick-or-treating, and he would dress up with them, just as Rafe had. This was Kiran’s idea, and Nadia couldn’t be more grateful for him.
On the way home, the girls persuaded their mom that they definitely needed chicken nuggies to finish out their day. She compromised and went to the drive-through and told them they had to wait until they got home to eat. She didn’t want to find nuggets in the back seat or have the greasy odor stay in her car.
When they turned onto their street, Nadia slowed and took in the decorations, mindful of the people outside. Their neighborhood really went all out for the holidays, which drew hundreds to their area from October through December.
“Mommy, look!”
Nadia saw and stopped her car in the middle of the road. “What the . . . ,” she said. Her neighbors were outside her home, putting up decorations. The front door was open, and people carried boxes out, while Kiran stood on the porch pointing in every direction. Nadia pulled into the driveway, and before she could shut her car off, the girls had unbuckled and were out of their seats.
Gemma and Lynnea ran right to Kiran. He crouched down and scooped them into his arms. Nadia’s heart skipped a beat. Rafe had done this countless times with them. She got out of her car and walked toward him.
“What’s going on?” she asked despite the obvious.
Kiran held the girls on his hips. “We’re decorating for Christmas?”
“Wise guy,” Nadia mumbled. “Did you break in?”
Kiran laughed and set the girls down. “I called Hazel.”
“You called Hazel?”
He nodded. “I noticed the lack of decorations and figured I needed to do something about it.”
Ever since the first day of school, Kiran had come over at least once a week, mostly on Saturdays, to help out around the house and in the yard. Two weeks ago, she’d invited him to stay for dinner. That was a big step for her to take. It would be the first time they’d had dinner with him without Rafe, and she was afraid she’d send the wrong message to the girls. And even herself. Last weekend, he’d stayed for dinner again, then stayed to share a glass of wine with Nadia. It was the first time she’d felt like life could be okay, eventually.
“Once I started pulling out boxes, they came over to help.”
Nadia looked around at the twenty or so people in her yard. They waved and smiled at the faces of people she usually talked to often but hadn’t spoken to in months.
“Thank you,” she said as she placed her hand over her heart. Tears welled in the back of her eyes. She fought them off, telling herself she could cry later, in the shower, where no one would have to see her, and no one could hear her.
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to help you and the girls, Nadia. I think you know this by now.” Kiran reached out and gave her hand a squeeze.
Nadia nodded and offered him the most genuine smile she could. She told the girls to take their costumes into the house. Kiran asked her what they were going to be. Nadia grimaced and held up the bag in her hand.
“I’m sorry to say, but you’re going as a hot dog.”
“What kind of dog?” Kiran leaned forward and cupped his hand around his ear. “I don’t think I heard you.”
“Hot dog,” Nadia said again. “Not H-A-W-T either. H-O-T, as in the type you eat. Like a Fenway Frank. Only you’re not wearing a Red Sox uniform.”
Kiran stared at her blankly.
“The girls are going as ketchup and mustard, if that makes the situation any better.”
“It absolutely does not.” He turned and looked at the house. “Wow, they actually hate me.”
Nadia let out a laugh. It was a sound she hadn’t heard in a while, and it caught her off guard. She covered her mouth and met Kiran’s gaze. He smiled, grinning ear to ear.
“That was nice to hear.”
“It feels strange.”
“I imagine.” Kiran looked behind him and then back to Nadia. “This is okay, right?”
She nodded. “The girls needed this, and I think deep down, I did as well. This was Rafe’s holiday, and I know I should be the one to take the girls out—”
“Stop,” he said as he held his hand up. “I’ve got this. I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with Ketchup and Mustard.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing the three of you together.”
“Ha. I bet you are.” He shook his head. “A hot dog, really?”
Nadia shrugged. “There are worse things.”
“Name one.”
“The ass end of a donkey.”
“Touché.”
He reached out and touched her hand before heading back to the decorations. She stood there, with his hot dog costume still in her hand, and contemplated what to do next.