Page 81 of Loving Kai

“He loves his papa. That means you’re doing something right.”

“You don’t think it’s a matter of love the one you're with?”

“No.” She let go and stepped back. “That works with women too, sometimes.”

Maggie sat at the table. “Will you tell me about his mother?”

“Hmm. Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’d like to hear about her.”

Abe took two beers from the refrigerator and handed her one. “This is an over-a-beer conversation.” He opened his bottle and took a drink. “Lizzie was a modern day hippie in the best sense of the word. She called herself a free-range vegetarian, which meant she liked to forage for her food. For convenience, that included farmer’s markets and fruit stands. She thought my family growing almonds was the coolest thing ever.”

“She doesn’t sound like your type.” Maggie shrugged. “Not that I really know what that is.”

“By the time I’d met her, she’d hiked in almost every state, including Alaska and Hawaii. She’d travel somewhere, get a job for a couple of weeks, then live off the grid as long as she could. She came here to hike the river upstream into the mountains with some friends she’d recently met on another adventure.”

“You liked her free spirit.”

“I did. I took a week off work and hiked with her up to Fallen Angel Lake, which is the origin of the Smith River.”

“Wow.”

“I’ve been wondering how getting pregnant changed her life.”

“I imagine it didn’t slow her down at all.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Maggie looked at Kai. “With Lizzie and you as parents, Kai is going to be crazy adventurous.”

“Is that stuff hereditary?”

“I don’t know. I’d like to think it is.” She shrugged. “Maybe he’ll turn out to be an accountant or a lawyer. Maybe a doctor.”

“He can grow up to be whatever the hell he wants to be.”

When Kai was done eating, Maggie offered to stay and help with his bath. As Kai splashed in the water, she sat on the edge of the tub while Abe leaned against the counter.

“This is surreal, man.”

“What is?”

“This… everything in my current life. A week ago, I was being a bastard to you to avoid the feelings I didn’t know how to handle. Now, here we are, giving my son a bath like it’s the most natural thing in the world.”

“It is strange, but it doesn’t feel weird.” Kai slapped the water with his hands and splashed Maggie. She laughed and leaned close to him. “Did you do that on purpose?”

Kai did it again, then giggled.

Abe smiled. “He’s my kid, all right.”

Maggie turned to Abe, then scooped up some water and splashed him with it. He jumped up and backed away. “Woman, you don’t want to start that.”

“Don’t call me woman.”

“Let’s keep the water in the tub. Both of you.”

Kai started laughing uncontrollably. “Papa wet.”