After an hour, dark clouds began to roll in, and the other kids all made their way back to their caretakers, who took them home. The first few drops were heavy, telling April this was not going to be a light shower. “Let’s get inside somewhere,” she said, taking Owen by the hand. “Do you like bookshops?”
“That depends on whether they have any good books.”
April laughed. “This shop has everything. Let’s go.” They walked quickly at first and then started to run when the rain fell more heavily. “I should have brought an umbrella.”
Owen agreed.
Soon enough, they came to the bookshop April had mentioned. She pushed open the door and heard the little bell chime. It was a sound she knew well, having visited the bookshop often. It wasn’t that she had a lot of time to read, but the shop itself was a kind of oasis to her. Any time her life felt too hectic, she would come here and allow time to slow the way it always seemed to.
The woman behind the counter waved at her as she passed. “Babysitting today?” she asked.
“Sort of,” April answered. “This is my friend’s son. His name is Owen.” It was the first time she’d called Cal a friend, and it felt good to do so. Anyway, he was, wasn’t he?
The woman behind the counter, whose name was Chelsea, leaned over and spoke to Owen. “Well, hello, Owen. How can I help you today? Are you looking for a specific book?”
Owen didn’t hesitate. He immediately listed two of the books they had read at the library’s story time he’d been to. April couldn’t have been prouder that an event she’d invited him to had that big of an impact. Chelsea led April and Owen to the picture book section of the bookshop and pulled out the two books he had listed.
There were short shelves and beanbag chairs in this colorful section of the shop. April had always imagined what it might be like to bring her own child here and find his favorite books. She was elated to be here with Owen, but she had to tamp her excitement down. This was not her child, and there was no promise that he ever would be. Still, it was fun, and April enjoyed reading one of the books to Owen while they waited for the torrential rain to let up. It was a quiet, cozy afternoon, and April let herself soak it all in.
When the rain slowed, she closed the book they’d just finished and said, “Should we go?”
“OK,” Owen said. He stood and went to put the books back.
“Do you want to take one of those home?” April asked.
Owen looked up at her. “Can I?”
“Yep. Let’s call it a late birthday present. Go ahead and pick your favorite, and we’ll buy it for you.”
It didn’t take Owen long to choose his favorite. April paid for it and put it in a plastic bag to protect it from the rain. It was still drizzling outside, but it was much less of a downpour than it had been a half hour ago.
They started back to the park when April got an idea. Watching Owen play had been a highlight for her, and she thought she would like to immortalize it. She’d seen several perfectly framed moments that would have made wonderful candid portraits of the boy, and she had no doubt that a framed version of one of those would be a gift Owen’s father would adore.
“Hey, Owen, do you mind if we stop by my work to grab my camera? I left it there yesterday, and I’d like to take your picture for your dad.”
“You’re going to take my picture?”
April nodded.
“Why?” Owen asked.
“Well, because you’re growing up fast, and you’ll never be this exact size ever again. I think your dad might like to have a really good picture of you while you’re this exact size. I was thinking I’d frame it and give it to him as a present. But you can’t tell him, OK? I want it to be a surprise.”
That was the right thing to say, apparently. Owen seemed to love keeping a secret from his father. And this one was pretty harmless. It was always a good way to bond with a kid—some harmless secret like two lollipops instead of one, a cartoon band aid instead of a plain one, and a finger to the lips with a not-so-subtle, shhhh.
April took Owen to her clinic, and he followed her into the back room to get her camera from her locker. Of course, there was no chance she was going to walk into her place of work with a young child without word getting around in record time. Within minutes, Crystal and Nathan burst into the room to see the impossible for themselves.
“Who’s that you’ve got with you, April?” Crystal asked, grinning from ear to ear because she undoubtedly already knew.
“This is Owen,” April said. “I’m watching him for the afternoon.”
“This is the lumberjack’s kid, right?” Nathan said.
No one bothered to answer that. Crystal only rolled her eyes. Owen asked, “What’s a lumberjack?”
“Someone who cuts down trees,” Nathan answered in the most generic way possible.
“Oh!” Owen said with a grin. “I guess Dad’s one of those, then. Me, too. I cut down a tree once. We made firewood.”
