Echoes of Summer by Laura D. Bastian

back to Milo as the boy asked question after question about Hawaii, then more questions about when they could see the Legos.
    She listened again, relieved to know Milo accepted the news without any stress or awkward questions about where he’d been and why he hadn’t been with them before. Of course, to a seven-year-old, those things wouldn’t really matter much.
    Her emotions warred with each other. No one else had been as important in Milo’s life as she had been, even Karen and Jason had been second fiddle to her. But Milo seemed to be opening his little soul to this stranger he had only just met and was already considering him important, just because he had the title of father.
    Guilt pricked at her as she wished Stephen had stayed absent, but as she saw how much Milo enjoyed asking questions about his father to his actual father, the anger and betrayal at Stephen’s absence began to wash away. He could be a part of Milo’s life without taking away from her.
    Madison played with the sticks from the Creamsicles and watched the two as they caught up. When she glanced at her watch, she reluctantly interrupted.
    “It’s about time to head home, buddy.”
    “Just ten more minutes?” Milo asked.
    Stephen smiled and Madison joined him.
    “How about five? Then we need to go so you can have a bath tonight.”
    Milo moaned. “I hate baths.” He turned to look at Stephen. “Want to slide with me for five minutes?”
    Madison shook her head. “I need to talk to him for a few minutes. How about you run slide while we figure out a time for you to meet again?”
    “Okay,” Milo said and ran off to the playground, his blister completely forgotten.
    “Sorry about that,” Madison said.
    “I didn’t want to slide anyway,” Stephen said then winked.
    “No, I mean for dumping it like that, and then for him going nonstop. I guess I should have prepared him for this better.”
    Stephen shook his head. “No, it was fine. I enjoyed it. It felt kinda natural, and he had a right to ask lots of questions.”
    Madison nodded thoughtfully as she watched Milo climb the ladder. She glanced at Stephen from the corner of her eye to see him watching their son as well. “How are we going to go about this?”
    “Well, apparently you’re not ready for me to move in.”
    Madison whipped her head around to gawk at him.
    “I’m joking.” He grinned, and she eased a little. “I think we should go slow. But I’d like to see him as often as you’ll let me. I’d like to try to be a good dad for him.”
    Madison nodded. Of course he’d want to be a part of Milo’s life. And though she didn’t want him as a lover or anything, it still hurt that he didn’t seem to be interested in her now, just in their son. Of course, that was how it should be. It had been too long ago to try to go back to the connection they’d had. And she’d grown up since then and knew that it had just been a teenage infatuation. There was nothing lasting about their time together. Why should she hope there would be something now?
    “I don’t want to come to the park every day,” Madison said. “And I’m not ready for him to go with you alone. But we could meet here a couple times a week then maybe go for a walk or out to McDonald’s or something once in a while.”
    “That sounds good,” Stephen said. “Can I pick you two up for dinner tomorrow?”
    Madison turned to him. “How about we meet you there?”
    He hesitated for a minute, and she wondered if he knew she didn’t want to let him know where she lived. She wasn’t ready for him to show up at her door. But why she was so hesitant, she didn’t know. She hated feeling so conflicted with him. She used to be so in control of everything, but after seeing him in Mr. Carlson’s office, things had been so out of whack, and she hated it.
    They made plans for where to meet, and Madison called Milo to join her. They left the park together, and Stephen once again opened her door and helped her in. He