Poppy watched as Freddie and his hassled dad came across the road. ‘I take it they’re friends?’ the man asked. He didn’t look too annoyed.
‘Yeah, sorry,’ Poppy said.
‘Nah, it’s fine. I could do with a coffee anyway.’
They all trooped in, and Freddie and Luna began chatting in a corner, giggling at something as Freddie’s dad came up to the counter.
Poppy ran back around. ‘What can I get you?’
‘Black coffee, please. With an extra shot.’
Poppy made the coffee, one eye on Luna and Freddie. She served Freddie’s dad. ‘Here.’ She handed it to him. ‘On the house.’
‘Thanks very much,’ he said, pleased. ‘I’m Max, by the way.’
Poppy smiled politely. ‘Poppy.’
Poppy had thought there could be a reaction to her old relationship with his wife, but if there was one, it was too subtle to see.
He took a sip of coffee. ‘Can’t be easy working with a kid in tow.’
‘I don’t usually, but my babysitter had an emergency,’ she explained.
‘Well, we were just headed to the park around the corner. Yours could come with us?’
Poppy thought it over. It would have solved a problem. Trouble was, she didn’t know Max at all.
‘Oh, umm...’
‘I’d be grateful if I’m honest,’ Max said quietly. ‘The trouble with having just one is that you have to do all the playing with them.’ He looked pained. ‘I can’t do the seesaw anymore. My back was screaming last time.’
Poppy decided she’d better turn him down as nicely as she could. ‘It’s a nice offer...’
Max’s phone beeped, and he took it out and checked it, tutting to himself. He looked back up at Poppy. ‘Do you know my wife? Norah?’ he asked.
Poppy was jolted. ‘Yes, actually.’
Did he really not know who Poppy was? Was she not worth mentioning when romantic history came up? That stung a bit.
‘Ah, great. Well, she was going to meet us at the park, but I’ve kinda gotta run. I was wondering... maybe I could leave Freddie here with you? She won’t be long.’
‘Wait, what?’ Poppy said.
How the hell was this happening? From zero children to two in twenty minutes? They were multiplying.
‘It’ll be easier now. They’ll occupy each other,’ he vowed.
That could be true, but still, it was a lot of responsibility. ‘Um, how long will she be?’
‘She’ll be here any minute. I’ll let her know you’ve got him.’
Poppy felt stuck. ‘OK.’
Max was already moonwalking out on the second syllable of the word. ‘Great. Cheers. Freddie! This lady’s looking after you! Do as she says!’ he called and left.
It was a full thirty minutes later that Norah arrived. She burst in, looking aggravated. ‘Sorry, sorry!’ she yelled at Poppy.
‘No, it’s fine. They were keeping each other occupied,’ she told Norah, which was true.
They were playing some mysterious imagination game together at a corner table that involved a jungle, a train, and penguins.
‘I was at the supermarket; I didn’t see the text!’ Norah looked furious. ‘Freddie, you OK?’
Freddie looked around and saw his mum. ‘Oh, hi. I’ve had cake!’
‘I hope you don’t mind me feeding him sugar?’ Poppy asked nervously.
‘God, no!’ Norah exclaimed. ‘Thank you so much for doing this.’
‘So, I finally met your husband,’ Poppy said.
‘Such as he is,’ Norah muttered bitterly.
That didn’t sound good. But Poppy wasn’t going to pry. They weren’t there.
‘Sit down. Let me make you a drink,’ Poppy said.
Norah was still coming down from her mad dash and seemed surprised to come and find everything was fine.
