Chapter 11

                                    

                                          
Matthew
June 19th 2018
You know those days when you wake up with plans, only for them to evaporate faster than your desire to exercise? 
Yeah, that was today. 
I had this big date planned with Lacy—dinner, a movie, maybe even a stroll under the stars if I could work my charm just right. 
But nope, she canceled last minute. Something about "family stuff." I didn't ask for details. 
I just nodded, smiled, and tried not to look too disappointed as I watched my evening of romance fizzle into a night of binge-watching Netflix alone.
But fate, it seems, had other plans for me.
It all started at camp, where, as usual, I was up to my elbows in glitter and giggles. 
The kids were in rare form today, feeding off my silliness like it was candy. We played games, told jokes, and created enough inside jokes to last the whole summer.
Peter, my little comedy sidekick, was in top form, throwing out puns left and right, while Lily, his sister, regaled me with stories about her dollhouse dramas. 
It was one of those days where everything felt light and easy, like a scene out of a feel-good movie.
And then, in the midst of all the chaos, Emma showed up to pick up Peter and Lily. 
She's like a book you've just started reading and can't put down, but you're only a couple of chapters in and dying to know what happens next. 
Except for the fact that I don't read books.
And that's how I found myself in Emma's car, Peter and Lily in the backseat, as we headed to a cozy little café on the edge of town. 
The car ride was filled with chatter—mostly from the kids, who, by now, were more comfortable with me than they were with their school backpacks. 
Peter was regaling us with tales of his latest Lego adventures, while Lily went on about the "princess ball" we'd all supposedly attended the day before.
"Did you know Matt was the funniest prince at the ball?" Lily said to Emma, her voice filled with awe.
"Oh really?" Emma glanced at me, her eyebrows raised in amused curiosity. "I missed the invitation."
"Yeah, but that's okay. We'll have another one tomorrow, right, Matt?" Lily said, beaming up at me.
"Of course!" I said, turning in my seat to give Lily a wink. "And this time, you'll have the most sparkly tiara of all."
"Yay!" Lily cheered, while Peter muttered something about not wanting to be a prince because pirates were cooler. 
Emma just laughed softly, her eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that made me think she didn't laugh nearly as often as she should.
We arrived at the café a few minutes later—a charming, hole-in-the-wall kind of place with mismatched furniture and the smell of freshly ground coffee beans wafting through the air.
It was the kind of place you could easily spend hours in, lost in a book or deep in conversation. 
We walked inside, the kids immediately making a beeline for a table near the window while Emma and I headed to the counter to order.
"What'll it be?" I asked, flashing my best "I've got this" grin.
"You don't have to do that," she said, shaking her head. "Really, it's fine."
"Nonsense. My treat." I waved her protest away, turning to the barista. "I'll have a large iced coffee,. And for the lady...?"
"Just a cappuccino, please," she said, still looking like she wasn't entirely comfortable with me paying.