“Perfect.”

I grab a cup, mostly to have something to do with my hands. “The usual?”

“Ya know what? I think I’m good.” He smiles and steps back. “I finally got what I’ve really been coming in here for all these months… a date.”

“Sunday isn’t a date, it’s a study session,” I call after him.

He places both hands over his ears. “La, la, la, la.”

I shake my head slowly at his antics, but my heart beats faster.

“Grandma Nadine is going to be here in five minutes.”

Christian doesn’t move from his spot in the middle of the living room floor. He’s got an elaborate race track set up and pushes cars around in circles and up ramps. My son may be chill about the day, but I am not.

Books, check. Laptop, check. Notebook and pen, check and check. Satisfied that the third perusal of my backpack hasn’t changed the fact it’s ready to go, I step toward my bedroom so I can look at myself in the mirror again. I’ve not even made it over the threshold when the doorbell rings. Guess this is as good as I’m going to look.

I open the door as Christian stands and runs to greet Grandma Nadine.

Except…

“Victor, what are you doing here?” The edge in my voice is uncalled for and I try and recover. “Sorry. I thought Nadine was coming.”

“Daddy,” Christian says and throws himself at Victor’s legs.

Victor gives him a pat on the head and walks in. “I drove back yesterday, so she sent me. Thought I could take Christian for pancakes – heard it’s a Sunday tradition.”

Christian squeals with excitement.

“Christian, can you go put your toys in your room while I talk to Mommy?”

My internal alert radar goes off and my body tenses waiting for what must surely be bad news. Victor has been to our apartment exactly once before and that was because Nadine came down with the flu and couldn’t bring Christian home one weekend.

“What’s up?” I ask when Christian’s arms are full of toys and he’s headed to his room.

“I’m moving back. Well, moved back, I guess.”

“With your parents?” I cringe at the judgey way it comes out.

“For now. I’m going to get a job and then finish up my degree at the community college.”

“That’s great.” I think? I’m completely thrown. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” He shifts uncomfortably. “You know school was always hard for me.”

The smallest bit of pity washes over me as I realize he probably dropped before he flunked out.

“Well, Christian will be glad to see more of you.”

He nods once curtly. “Mom thought… I thought maybe I could keep him for a week or two. I’ll be free until I find a job and it’d give you a break.”

“I don’t need a break from my son,” I whisper-screech.

Victor runs a hand over his jaw. He’s sporting a short, trendy beard that’s new since the last time I saw him. “Look, Katrina, I just thought it’d be nice to spend some more time with him while I’m not busy.”