sister pulls into my driveway. I hold up a finger so she knows I’ll be right back.
And then I’m across the street.
Knocking on Chloe’s door. Hammering on it when she doesn’t open right away.
But then she does. Her wet hair is slicked back over her shoulders, her eyes wide and slightly red, her mouth forming the perfect O as she stares at me.
I step into her space and cup her cheeks in my hands. “Don’t think for even a second that you can get rid of me this easily again, you hear me? Not a fucking chance.”
And then I kiss her, taking everything she gives me, before spinning around to walk back across the street.
Past my gasping sister and the giggling boys in the back of her car.
Then I throw my bag in the car, usher the boys into mine, kiss my still-stupefied sister on the cheek, and reverse out of my driveway to go swimming with my nephews.
“Stop it, Uncle Noah.”
“Never.” I keep splashing Mason and Alex until they swim out of my reach.
The boys and I moved to the kids’ pool after we swam a few rounds in the big one, or according to those two rascals, we were “competing,” and they won. At six and eight, they’re both amazing swimmers, enrolled in swim lessons as often as they can with my sister’s work schedule.
I haven’t been able to swim with them as much as I’d like, but these random mornings with them have been good for me, especially now that I’m on my half-forced, half-needed break from my otherwise grueling training routine.
Even though it’s been good for my mind to slow things down, I’m also itching to do something. I’m just still not sure what it is. Do I want to go back to my career and do another few years of it, participate in some more competitions and maybe another Olympic Games, or am I ready for a change in my life?
Chloe pops into my mind like she’s been waiting right at the edge of it, which she probably has. This woman has turned my life upside down in more than just one way, never far away from my thoughts.
Making me question and reevaluate the last ten years of my life.
I know I can’t change any of it, but I can’t help all the what-if questions either that have been bombarding my brain.
“We’re gonna go down the slide, okay?” Mason yells across the pool even though it’s not that big.
I give him a thumbs-up. “Be careful. And remember, no running.”
“Okay,” they both yell as they get to the far end of the pool to climb out.
I make my way to the deeper section of the pool where the other end of the tunnel water slide is. It also allows me to keep an eye on the boys as they climb up the spiral ladder that leads to the top of the water slide.
“Hey, man. What are you doing here?”
I turn at the voice, watching Ryan and Jace make their way over to me. “Hey. I was wondering if you guys might be here today.”
Loud squealing and splashing accompany them, making me smile.
It also makes my ribs squeeze, reminding me once more what I don’t have in my life.
Ryan is wrestling Isabella, who we quickly noticed seems to take after Harper, just as wild and loud as her mom, while Tanner is happily kicking his feet on Jace’s back.
“Where’s my Izzy?” I hold out my arms toward Ryan and take the little wiggle ball from him, who gives me a toothy grin in return. “Hey, sweetie. Want to hang out with Uncle Noah? Your daddy is no fun, is he? He’s way too old for that.”
Ryan points his finger at me. “You’re lucky you’re holding her right now, or I’d show you old.”
I laugh, which Izzy takes as her command to splash some more.
Jace stays a few feet away, pulling Tanner off him and giving him the kickboard they brought. That kid loves the water, they both do. But where Izzy gets excited, Tanner is more chill, more eager, and focused on learning how to be a great swimmer, wanting to be just like his dad.
After checking that Mason and Alex are still doing okay—it’s almost their turn for the slide—I look at Jace. “Is it just you guys?”
He nods. “Yeah. Tanner doesn’t have preschool today, and Em and Harper are shopping together for Izzy’s birthday.”
As if she knows we’re talking about her, Izzy splashes harder and