To Have, To Hold, and To Leave: A Bryce Hall FanFiction «completed»

51

-six months later-

Bryce had moved out when Everleigh had been home for about a month. He had found a house in a nearby neighborhood, and I was glad that even when the kids weren't with me, they were close by.
I knew that it wasn't really my business, but I was grateful that Bryce hadn't gotten back together with Addison. I wasn't sure if it had been like a mid-life crisis or something, but I didn't really think that they had worked out. They didn't trust each other, and I wanted him to be happy.

"Alright, guys! Do you all have your bags ready to go to Daddy's house this weekend?" I yelled up the stairs. 
Isaiah came bounding down. "Yes! Will we see you tomorrow for my birthday?" he asked, his face hopeful. 
"Daddy is having a little celebration for you with all of your aunts, uncles, and cousins at his house. Daddy told me that it was okay if I came, so you will see me," I assured him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "You're really about to be eleven, huh? It feels like just yesterday that you were Everleigh's age."
"That will happen, won't it?" Isaiah teased me. "You don't have to be like this all the time, Mom."
"No, I know. Sometimes, I just remember that one day, you'll be living on your own, and hopefully, you won't move across the country and leave me alone like I did to my parents," I chuckled. "Will you go see what's taking your brother and sister so long? I'm gonna go Evie's bag finished up."

Jaden opened the front door. "Hey, Kate. Kids go to Bryce's this week, right?" 
I nodded. "They do. What are you doing here so early?"
"I needed to talk to you. We're all kind of worried about you," he explained, following me up the stairs and into the nursery. 
"Hey, Uncle Jaden!" Annalisa yelled as she came out of her room. 
"Hey, cutie pie! I miss you!"
"I miss you, too. Are you coming to Isaiah's birthday party at Daddy's house tomorrow?" she asked. 
He nodded. "Yep. I'll be there."

She headed out of the nursery and down the stairs, and Jaden returned to what he had originally shown up to talk about. "We are worried, Kate."
"Why?" I asked, packing clothes for the baby. 
"Ever since Bryce moved out, you don't come out with any of us. You don't leave the house. You don't pick up the phone when anyone calls. I think that you need to get yourself out there. Maybe meet new people that you aren't meeting through Bryce. Maybe you could even, I don't know, go on a date," he suggested. 
"A date?" I exclaimed. "Who wants to date a single mother of four? I'll tell you: absolutely no one."
"What about Tinder? It's worth a shot, right," he said, sitting down in the rocking chair in the corner of the room.
I shook my head. "No, thanks. Tinder is for random hookups, and I'm not interested."
"Okay, well, I know a guy. Will you just go on one date? Dinner, a movie, maybe? I promise that you'll have fun," he promised. 
"Fine. One date, but if I go, you have to promise me that you won't keep bugging me about it afterward."
"Deal. How's tonight sound?" 

"Mom, Dad's here to take us to school," Isaiah said, appearing in the doorway suddenly. 
"Alright, kiddo," I replied, setting the bag down and hugging him tightly. "I will miss you, my love."
He hugged me back. "I'll miss you, too, Mom."

Jaden and I followed Isaiah down the stairs, and Bryce was in the entryway, already holding Annalisa and Owen's bags. "Good morning, Kate, Jaden. It's good to see you both."
"Good to see you, too, man," Jaden said, extending his hand to shake Bryce's. 
I handed him Everleigh's car seat and bag, and he thanked me. "Alright. I'm gonna take them to school. We can't be late. See you tomorrow?" 
I nodded, waving to the kids as Bryce pulled out of the driveway. 

"You are determined, you know that?" I asked. 
"He's really great. Please, just give him a chance, okay?" 
"Fine. Tonight works. Maybe it'll be fun. What's his name?" I asked, sighing. 
"Wouldn't you like to know?" he teased. "I'll set the reservation up under Hossler, and you can meet there, okay?"
I nodded. "Sounds good, Jay. Love you," I said as he opened the front door to leave. 
"Love you, too. I can't wait to hear how the date goes," he replied. 

I closed the door behind him, and I sank to the floor against it. Had I really just agreed to a date? I hadn't been on a date since before I met Bryce, and that was going on twenty years. Did I even know how to date? God, what was I thinking?
I desperately wanted to call Nessa, but we were still barely speaking. I had a sneaking suspicion that Josh had made the executive decision to take Bryce's side in all of this, which was upsetting, but I had to take everything in stride. 

I went upstairs, rummaging through my closet. "What do you wear on your first date in almost twenty years?"
I pulled out a pair of jeans that I had bought right before I found out that I was pregnant with Everleigh, and I decided on them. I dug through the dresser, searching for the right top. I gave up on doing this on my own, and I called Dixie.
"Hey, girl," she answered. "What's up?" 
"I maybe, kinda, sorta, just agreed to go on a date, but I haven't gone on a date in years. I have no idea what to wear. What am I supposed to wear?" I rambled. 
"Babe, I will be there in, like, ten minutes. I promise that I'll help you. You are not on your own," she laughed. 
"Oh, thank God!" I exclaimed, letting out a sigh of relief. "I need more help than you could ever know."
"No, honey, I know," she laughed before hanging up.