Page 102 of Scoring Chance

“Maya.” I look up from cutting up Lulu’s hamburger, stunned to see her here. She is equally stunned at the scene in front of her.

“Des?” She holds a to-go bag in one hand. “Funny running into you here. Are these your nieces and nephews?”

“No. Uh, they’re my kids.”

Her eyes fall to my wedding ring. Tanner waves at her from his seat. She takes it all in. The last time I saw Maya, she was on all fours on my bed. A few months ago, but also a lifetime ago.

An amused smile lights up her face. “Been a while, apparently.”

“A lot’s changed.” I nod my head at the table and the chaos of a family meal.

“Congratulations on Silq,” she says.

“Thank you for getting my name in there. Did you get my thank-you gift?”

A few days before the pitch, I sent Maya a basket of fancy jams. It’s something I saw Stan do whenever he was referred new business. My wet-behind-the-ears self thought it was super classy. He sent it before he found out if he won a pitch or not because he never wanted someone to think their help was only appreciated if he succeeded.

“Yes. That was too generous.”

“My pleasure.”

“Daddy Des, who is this?” Lulu asks, still remembering to call me daddy in front of strangers.

“This is my friend Maya.”

Maya gives a polite wave to the family. She and I trade a friendly, weighted look, one that acknowledges the past but doesn’t dwell on it. Life is just kinda funny in the way that it keeps moving forward.

“Being a daddy suits you, Des. Lord knows you have the stamina to handle four kids.” She shoots me a wink and exits the restaurant, taking with her my former playboy self.

After dinner, when the kids go to sleep, we sit on the couch folding laundry and half-watching a bloated limited series that should’ve just been a movie. We fold in comfortable silence.

“Hey, since we’re married, we can talk to each other about anything, right?” I ask.

“Of course.” Tanner makes quick work of pairing socks.

“How do you feel about this new job?”

He shrugs, doesn’t stop folding. “It’s a good job. I’m happy to be employed. Seems like a nice company.”

Tanner and I have discussed a myriad of topics throughout our friendship. No subject was off limits. But I’m realizing that he rarely talked about his job or general career ambitions. I could go on and on about my agency work. I love it. Tanner never came close to showing the same fire for any of his jobs.

“Are you excited about it?”

“It’s a job, you know? It’s keeping a roof over our heads and putting food on the table.”

I take his hand, making him drop the fresh laundry. “Tan, have you ever had a job you loved?”

He squints his eyes, really thinks it over for a moment. “I loved being a counselor at this hockey clinic I worked at the summer between sophomore and junior year.”

“Of high school?”

He nods yes.

“That was like almost thirty years ago.” I rub his leg, a pang of pity shooting through my chest for my friend and husband.

“Look, some people have careers, and some people have jobs. I’ve never had a passion for the corporate business world. I love being a husband and father, which I know makes me sound like a Stepford wife. As long as the hours aren’t too crazy, and I work with nice people, then I’m happy.”

Something sparks within me, the pure joy that comes from looking out for someone you love.