After a raucous lunch, most everyone left. That provided KC time to unpack her and Ryan’s things. She decided to start with Ryan’s, since that might help him to acclimate better. Not that he was exhibiting any doubts about their move. She had sole dibs on that problem.
Frowning, KC entered the room Max chose for Ryan and found both of them already there. They were intent on putting Ryan’s bed together. Two male heads close together as they bent over the frame, Max with a sturdy screwdriver in hand.
Ryan watched the entire process intently while he handed Max screws. KC felt that emotional lump rise into her throat again, and swallowed, hoping she wasn’t becoming a goober.
Males didn’t like emotion, and since she lived with two of them now...
“Hi, Mom,” Ryan exclaimed and Max looked up. His blue eyes caught hers and she moistened her lips with her tongue before smiling at the pair.
“You two look busy.” Okay, that was a little obvious and definitely lame.
But Ryan nodded his little face solemn. “Max and me awe puttin’ my bed togethew,” he explained. As though the procedure was brain surgery risky.
She laughed. “I see. I thought maybe I’d unpack your things.” KC couldn’t resist ruffling his hair. She really longed to grab him and hold him tight, but thought that might embarrass him in front of Max. There were male standards apparently that they all knew and understood.
“That’s good, right, Ryan? You’ll probably need clothes,” Max said and with his free hand, ruffled Ryan’s hair too.
“I will need clothes,” he agreed and then turned wide eyes on her, “and my fiwe twuck and my caws, and…” and he launched into an extended toy list.
“I’ll unpack everything, honey,” KC promised and got busy transferring his things from the boxes into his dresser. Since she’d been doing this since he was a week old, placing his clothing in his dresser and the closet went fast.
Next, she unpacked his books and placed them in the proper order on his bookshelves. Ryan came over to investigate, but eventually wandered back to help Max place the box spring and mattress on the bed frame. Not that she figured Max particularly needed the help, but it seemed to please Ryan to assist.
She was amazed by how patient Max was with her son. “He’s had a lot of practice”, a voice reminded her and she realized that while this was true, now he would have a kid full time for an eight month minimum. He couldn’t give Ryan back after a few days.
Biting her lip as she emptied the toy boxes into Ryan’s bedroom toy chest, she thought about that. She had ample faith Max didn’t mind in the least. Turning, she watched the pair make Ryan’s bed, and decided that contrary to her negative thinking, they were going to have a blast. With a little smile, she wondered if she might have to kidnap her son to get him back when she returned.
She hoped Ryan wouldn’t have too much difficulty leaving Max. Sighing, she returned to the waiting boxes. Max had already thought of that, because he planned for her to move back in with them once she returned. And she could remain here until she found a new home. This was a comfort.
Not that it surprised her. Max tended to think of everything.
*****
Max watched KC linger over Ryan’s unpacking and he saw her stroke a shirt there, or fluff a stuffed animal here. Like she tried to memorize everything she touched. He saw her run a hand over Ryan’s pillow and give his pants an extra little pat. He suspected he saw tears in her eyes when she unpacked some picture frames and gazed at them, her finger tracing the images.
Eventually he and Ryan left the room for a romp outside. When they returned, with Ryan tired enough to take a nap, KC was in her own room.
After he watched Ryan fall asleep, Max hovered in her open doorway. She hung clothes in the closet and he noticed the slump of her shoulders in addition to the sheen in her eyes. She sniffed and rubbed a hand over her face and his heart dropped.
“KC?” he whispered and she stiffened before turning beseeching eyes on him.
“I’m going to miss him so much.” The ache in her voice clenched his heart. He opened his arms. She dropped the garment and walked into them. He felt her arms curl around his waist and wished she clung for another reason, but he would take what he could get.
“I know.”
“I’m going to miss you too,” she admitted and his heart swelled. That’s all he wanted. For her to miss him, just a little. Maybe he also wanted her to realize she didn’t have only lukewarm friendship feelings for him, either, but he’d take whatever he could get. And lap it up like Spuds lapped up all the petting and attention bestowed upon him.
“I’m going to miss you too, KC. I can’t even tell you how much.” He longed to tell her how he felt, but ruining what they shared would devastate him beyond repair.
“I need you guys to have a good time.”
He tugged her closer, needing to savor these moments with her in his arms. “We will,” he promised, sure in this one promise at least.
She nodded and her hair tickled his chin. Max swallowed, wanting so much more. Having her in his arms was ecstasy and agony. Soon she would be gone, across the ocean in a foreign land, so far away from him he didn’t even want to contemplate.
Lainy and Mitch hadn’t known each other when they endured their separation. They hadn’t even met in person until Mitch came home. But he and KC had been working together for a year, and he’d been in love with her for easily that long. And now he needed to be a man and let her leave for some God forsaken desert where she might die.
Max cut his perilous thoughts off. He would go insane if he kept this up, and he wasn’t about to let that happen. He had the care of Ryan and Spuds and he had KC now, right here in his home, and she’d be here for a little while.
A lot could happen in that short amount of time. Or not.