Back to Where Our Dreams Began

I replied casually, "Oh, I just stepped out to grab something to eat."

At that moment, Jacob showed up with Zoe. "Tyler, Zoe said she wants to go for a barbecue. If you don't mind, come along. Consider it my way of making it up to you."

"I don't like—"

Before I could finish, Nyra jumped in and agreed for me.

Then, she told me to go start the car.

Since I'd already decided to leave, I didn't want to argue with her, so I went along and headed to the garage.

When I pulled the car out, Nyra naturally slid into the backseat with Jacob and Zoe.

Only after the engine was running did she realize the situation and nervously explain, "Zoe's still little and pretty attached to me. That's why—"

Seeing the picture-perfect family of three in the rearview mirror, I cut Nyra off impatiently. "It's better if you sit together. The front passenger seat is dangerous."

Nyra looked stunned by my words because it was something she had said to me before.

When we'd argued about the front passenger seat, she had snapped, "What's the point in fighting over the front passenger seat? It's not safe anyway."

For the rest of the drive, I felt like an outsider watching them laugh and joke back there.

…

At the barbecue restaurant, the three of them went inside first.

When I parked and came in, I saw only three place settings on the table.

Nyra looked at me awkwardly and was about to wave over the waiter for another setting.

Suddenly, Zoe burst out crying, "I don't want to eat with that strange man! Dad says he's going to steal my mom! I don't want to—"

Jacob quickly covered her mouth and gave me an apologetic look. "Tyler, kids say the darndest things. Don't take it personally."

Nyra held Zoe close, soothing her gently. Her eyes on me seemed to say I was the one causing trouble.

I chuckled softly and said to Zoe, "Kiddo, your mom will always be your mom. I'm not going to steal her."

Nyra's gaze shifted sharply at my words.

Before she could say anything, I turned and took a seat at a table in the corner. I ate my barbecue alone.

The laughter not far away floated in my ears but didn't bother me at all.

On my way home after dinner, I got a call from Nyra. "Tyler, where are you? We're done eating. Wait for us in the parking lot."

Listening to her tone like it was the most natural thing, I wondered just how pathetic I must be in her eyes.

After being treated like that, why would I go back with them?

"I'm already outside the house," I replied calmly.

That set Nyra off immediately. "What do you mean? We went out together! Why'd you leave ahead of us?"

I stayed calm. "Weren't you going to watch a movie?"

That stopped Nyra's next words dead in their tracks.

Before leaving the restaurant, I'd seen Jacob's Instagram post. "Zoe finally got to go to the movie with Mom and Dad like she always wanted."

The photo was a happy selfie of the three of them.

A friend commented, "You two are finally together! Congrats!"

Jacob replied with a shy emoji.

After a few seconds of silence, Nyra stiffened and said, "We could go watch the movie together. Didn't you say I never went with you before?"