“How about Roman Molanari?” I frown. I really thought this would turn up something, but maybe it really is nothing.
The tech reenters the information, but shakes her head again. “Sorry Maddie, nothing is coming up under either of those names.”
“Okay. Thanks for checking.”
Roman is busy this afternoon, so after my shift, I head home to hang out with Ty.
I was never much of a babysitter growing up, but I really enjoy the alone time Ty and I get to spend together. He can be different with Roman around, and I recognized that desire to please his father right from the start. He looks up to his dad so much and doesn’t want to disappoint him, so Ty puts on a brave face more than any kid should ever have to. I don’t think it’s pressure from Roman, but more that he wants to be just like him, so he’s adopted the same independent, tough-as-nails front.
It's sweet, but when it’s just the two of us, I see glimpses of that innocent, unsure little kid who just wants someone to tell him everything is going to be okay. He’s come out of his shell little by little with me, and I think he really trusts me, which isn’t something I take lightly. He’s already been through so much, and the last thing I want to do is add to that.
Roman had to go in before I could get off, so he took Ty’s to Joe and Sarah’s. I head there and pick him up as soon as I’m off.
“So, what do you want to do tonight?” I ask him as we make the short drive toward the house.
Ty shrugs. “Video games?”
“Mmm, I was thinking maybe something a little more…active?” Ty has gotten used to a lot of TV and video games during his recovery, but some fresh air will be good for him.
“What about the park?” I watch him in the rearview as his little face tenses up.
“No, maybe something else.” He fidgets with the sleeve of his shirt and stares out the window.
“Are you sure? There’s one just down the street. We don’t have to play on the playground. They have a little pond where we could watch the ducks.”
Ty is quiet for a second, but then nods. “Yeah, sounds fun.”
I smile at the small victory. Roman said that Ty has been avoiding the park since what happened, and I don’t blame him in the slightest. I kind of have been, too, and when Roman said he was having trouble processing through everything, I thought maybe it was something we could work on together.
I pull into the lot of a park down the street from the house. Ty is slow to get out and drags his feet as we walk towards the water, I see his eyes on the park, a mix of fear and longing flashing in his eyes. I can tell he really wants to go play, but he just can’t bring himself to yet.
Instead, we find a bench and I pull out some bread I had left over from my lunch and hand it to Ty. He picks off pieces and throws them to the ducks, who start to swarm, expectant for more.
“Wow!” Ty giggles. “Those guys look really strange.”
“Yeah, they do.” I grin, watching as he lights up. “I like that funny tuft of hair they have on the top of their heads.”
“Me too,” he giggles, continuing to throw food their way.
There isn’t much and, once it’s gone, the ducks meander back to the water and ignore Ty and I for the most part. He glances over at the playground a few times, and my heart breaks. He wants to go give it a try so badly, but I can see the confliction in his eyes.
“Do you want to go swing?” I ask him. “It looks like there are two of them open.”
“I don’t think so.” He shakes his head.
“We could climb if you’d rather do that. That jungle gym looks kind of big, but I think we could probably do it, don’t you?”
He hesitates, and then shakes his head again. “I don’t think so today. I’m ready to go home.”
Ty stands up and heeds for the car before I can convince him otherwise. Honestly, just getting him here feels like a success and maybe after a few more baby steps, he’ll be confident enough to play again.
“So,whereareyoutaking Maddie tonight?” Joe asks, casually leaning back in my office chair. He’s got his feet propped up on the desk, and Dante is in an almost identical pose beside him.
“I’m not sure yet.” I rub my temples. “But before you two dickheads even start, I don’t want any help.”
Truthfully, I haven’t had much time to plan my date with Maddie tonight. She’s not the type of girl who expects something big and flashy, which is one of the things I like about her. We have a good time no matter what we’re doing, and I just figured I’d iron it all out on the run.
“Yeah, you do,” Joe snorts. “It’s been years since you’ve been on a proper date. Are you sure you even know how this kind of thing works anymore?”
