Tasha was in her office on the Friday the week after she returned from Canada, looking for her stapler under stacks of papers and plastic folders on her desk, when there was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” she called out, pulling out the old stapler from under the rubble.
It was Ellen Dunlop, one of her colleagues. Ellen just joined the staff seven months ago, and they were fast becoming close, which Tasha loved so much. Her twins; Liam and Lilla were Tyson’s age mates, so her boy had added two more playmates.
She hadn’t gotten the opportunity to have a close friend like Phoebe since she came to Berkeley.
“Tasha, hi,” Ellen stood at the door. “Are you ready for the meeting?”
A circular for an impromptu faculty meeting slated for later in the evening, after everyone would have finished teaching for the day, was just passed in the morning.
“I don’t understand this late hour meeting,” Tasha grumbled as she stapled some pieces of papers together. “I’m ready, anyway. Let me just pin these together. I don’t want to lose them.”
“That’s okay,” Ellen smiled, still standing at the door. “I think the Dean wants to talk about some new grants for research, amongst other things.” She told her friend.
“If that’s going to be part of the discussion, it’s good.” That was an interesting topic to Tasha, as new grants meant opportunities for researching more.
She stood up, and both ladies left for the venue of the meeting.
“I welcome you all to this impromptu meeting.” Professor Edmond, the Dean of the Faculty, said into the microphone a few minutes after Tasha and Ellen sat down. “There are pressing issues I wouldn’t want to leave till next week. I promise not to take too much of your time.”
“Okay, Prof.” Ellen and some of the staff members said.
The meeting took well over one hour and Tasha got home very late in the evening.
When she walked into her apartment, Grant and Tyson were both on the couch. Grant was explaining something to Tyson from the pages of one of his textbooks. Grant had been coming over almost everyday now since her mom had reinstated him back into Tasha’s life. She wasn’t complaining anyway, he was the one that helped to pick Tyson up from school as there was no football practice or extra class hours today.
“Hi guys,” she called out cheerfully from the doorway.
Tyson jumped up and ran to her, “hi mom,” he wrapped his arms around Tasha, hugging his mother in his usual way.
“Hey,” Grant smiled up at her. “Your meeting took so long. I hope everything is okay?”
“Yeah, everything is okay,” Tasha dropped her car key on the mantle. “It’s all about some new grants, nothing too serious and students’ complaints about teaching staff. But people kept on asking so many questions.”
“We are making dinner,” Tyson announced with a look towards Grant.
“We…?” Tasha asked.
“Yes, mom,”Tyson said. “Grant allowed me to marinade the steak and veggies.”
“I don’t have steak in the freezer,” she looked curiously at Grand who cleared his throat and said he and Tyson dashed to the grocery store when they found none in the freezer.
“Oh, I see,” Tasha said and started walking to the kitchen. “Thanks. You are a lifesaver. I have been thinking that I would have to order dinner.”
The oven timer went off as they all trooped into the kitchen.
Grant opened the oven door and pushed out the baking pan. The smell of potatoes and steak filled the kitchen. “Oh, this smells so nice. I can’t wait to dig into it.”
“Why don’t you change?” Grant told her. “We will set the table before you come back downstairs.”
“I will do just that,” Tasha nodded.
“Mommy, go,” Tyson started pushing his mother out of the kitchen. “I’m starving already.”
“Okay little man,” Tasha laughed as she allowed him to push her out. “I have beer and wine in the fridge.” She called out from the stairs. “And apple juice for Tyson.”
******
“Thanks for dinner…and Tyson’s groceries.” Tasha said to Grant two and a half hours after dinner as she walked him to his car. He bought not only steak for dinner, he also got some stuff for Tyson.
“It’s nothing,” he said. “He’s like a son to me.”
Her heart fluttered, seeing that longing in his eyes. She knew he desired so much to have his own kids someday.
“So good night right,” Tasha stopped beside his car.
“Thank you Tasha,” he hugged her briefly and set his hand on his car door handle to open the door. He removed it instead and leaned against the car. “Tasha,” he called in a breathy voice. “Please, let me take you to dinner on Sunday.”
“Dinner,” she nodded and surprised herself, saying, “it’s fine. Is seven pm okay?”
His eyelids twitched slightly in surprise before he said, “yes, seven is perfect. Thank you so much.”
“You are welcome, Grant.” She chuckled.
He grinned and hugged her again before he hurriedly jumped into his car.
“Why are you in such a hurry to leave?” She joked when he started the car. “I won’t change my mind. Don’t worry.”
“I know you very well,” he chuckled. “I don’t want you to suddenly remember that you have to grade some students’ papers or write something.”
They both burst into laughter as he backed out of her driveway.
“Mom,” Tyson looked away from the TV he was watching when Tasha walked back inside. “Make Grant my daddy.”
“What?” To say she was surprised was an understatement. “You want Grant to be your dad…Why?”
“Because I like him.” He said, looking his mom in the eyes. “He’s cool and smart. And I he kinda like you.” He shrugged
“Wait, wait little man,” she sat beside him on the couch. “Did he tell you he likes me?”
“Nope,” he shook his head. “I heard grandma telling grandpa over the phone during her visit. And I think it’s true.”
“Really?” She was dumbfounded.
“Yes mom,” he replied. “Do you like him too?”
She said nothing for a moment.
“Mom,” he coaxed. “Do you like him?” He repeated his question.
“Well,” she curved an arm around him. “Yeah, he’s my friend.”