3 + 1 = ...?

December 2028 - San Myshuno, New York

Ian Lloyd is 39, Kayla is 29, Matthew is 15, Sasha is 11 (Nancy is 39)

"When will Dad be back?" Sasha asks. "I need some food from someone who actually knows what he's doing at the stove."

 

"It's not like Dad can cook any better than I can," Matthew tells his little sister. "Besides, he's out on a date. Like always."

"Is there something wrong with him being on a date?" Sasha asks.



"Why would there be anything wrong?" Matthew asks. "It's not like he actually wants to spend time with his kids on the weeks they're staying with him."



Sasha frowns at her sandwich, but doesn't say anything. Maybe sometimes it does feel like their dad has things he'd rather do than stay home with them.



But that doesn't mean that things are terrible when they stay with their dad. When Ian isn't at work or at the gym or out on the town somewhere, he does spend time with his kids as much as he can.



He always wants to hear about Sasha's days at school. He talks and jokes with her for a long time.



And he hugs her as much as he can. Matthew won't let his dad hug him. Matthew still has a strained relationship with his dad, even though it's been a couple years now since Matthew found out about his dad cheating on his mom.



"Daddy has a big game tonight," Sasha tells her brother. "He told me how nervous he is, but I assured him that he'll do great."



Matthew shrugs. "Yeah, sure."

"Daddy said we can go to the game tonight if we want to," she says.

Matthew rolls his eyes. "Why would I want to?"



It's not that Matthew hates sports or anything. He takes Sasha out to the park some afternoons after school and they'll play ball together.



They may not be as good as their dad is at the sport, but it's still fun to play. Matthew did inherit his dad's need for an active life.



Ian still keeps himself as active as he can. Off the court, he spends time in the gym nearby to keep his muscles active.



"You played great in that game on Saturday," Edwin Chase tells Ian. Edwin and Darcy and their kids have moved to San Myshuno too, with Darcy getting a great job in a local law firm. It's nice to have someone from back home that he can hang out with, and so Ian has become good friends with Edwin, who comes to work out when he's off duty from his job at the police station.



"I don't know," Ian tells him. "I missed a shot that should have been easy to make."



Edwin shrugs. "It was just one time, man. Don't be so worried about it."



"He's right," says a voice behind them. "You did great." She gives Ian a big smile. "I'm Kayla and I'm a big fan of the San Myshuno Warriors."

"Oh," Ian says, taking in the beautiful woman standing in front of him. He'd seen her plenty of times around the gym lately, but this is the first time she'd said anything to him. Not that he hadn't considered starting a conversation himself. "I've done a lot better in other games."



Edwin leaves the two of them alone to continue the conversation. "I mean it," she tells him. "You really are a great player."

He smiles back at her, happy to finally have a reason to talk to her. "Thanks. How long have you been a fan of the Warriors?"

***



At home the next night, Ian checks in with Matthew and Sasha. "Make sure you get your homework done," he tells them. "And don't stay up too late. I'm not sure when I'll be back, but you two need to be in bed at a decent hour."

Matthew rolls his eyes at his dad's back. "Yeah, sure."

 

Ian goes out to meet Kayla at a club downtown.



He hasn't been on a date like this in a long time. He's had a few nights out to dinner since the divorce and nights in a hotel room with someone he meets during the games out of town.



But this date with Kayla is different makes him feel really young again. Not that he's old exactly, he's 39 this year. But Kayla is 29, and she still has the energy to show him out on dates like this.












It isn't long before they've both had quite a bit to drink. Hands all over each other, lips barely breaking free.



Ian doesn't even remember exactly what happens that night. Just that he and Kayla leave the club at some point.



And manage to find their way back to his apartment.



Not that Ian would complain about what happens, even if he could remember it all exactly.



***



When he wakes up, she's still there. She gets dressed quickly, but she sits down next to him instead of leaving like he had expected. "So, um," she says. "Do you remember exactly what happened last night?"

"Of course I do. It was great." Even though he doesn't really remember, he doesn't want to admit it. Future dates with her could remind him of what happens in bed with her.



She lets out a deep breath. "Okay," she says. "I thought it was just my imagination that we stopped by one of those middle of the night wedding shops."

His eyebrows shoot up. "What? We went where?"

"We got married," she says. She finds a marriage license in her pocket and shows it to him. It's official, even with his wavy, drunk signature.

"We can back out of it if you want," she says. "We were drunk. We didn't have to get married."



He'd been married before and it had ended badly, because of his own mistakes. He doesn't want to live like that anymore. He wants a chance to start over and do things right.

"I'd like to give it a try," he tells her. "That is, if you want to give it a try too."

She leans into him, smiling. "I told you I love the San Myshuno Warriors. I can't turn you down."



And so Kayla moves in.



And Matthew is not happy about it.



“I think she’s really nice,” Sasha tells her brother after Kayla has been living with them for a couple of weeks.



“What do you know about ‘nice’?” Matthew asks her. “You think everyone you meet is nice.”

“Well then, what’s wrong with her?”

Matthew waves one hand in the air. “Everything. She’s too young for him, she’s already talking about redecorating the apartment, and she thinks she’s in charge.”



Sasha laughs and says, “If anyone thinks they’re in charge around here it’s you.”



Ian is worried about Matthew’s thoughts on Kayla and so he calls Matthew into his room one night. “Want a sandwich?” Ian asks.

Matthew scowls at his dad. “I’m not hungry.”



“Care to explain what is going on with you lately?”

Matthew shrugs. “Nothing. Everything’s fine.”

Ian lets out a long sigh. “Look, I know this all seems crazy, but I love Kayla and I’m happier with her than I’ve been in a long time. I want you to get to know her and see how much she adds to our family.”

Matthew rolls his eyes. “Yeah, sure.”

***



The kids stay with Nancy every other week, so it hasn’t been long since she saw them before they went to their dad’s that week. But when Nancy shows up on Sunday afternoon, Sasha is happy to see her just like she is every other week.



Nancy came over a little earlier than she normally would so she could get a look at things around the house now with the new family addition.

“So do you like her?” Nancy asks when she and Sasha are alone.

“She’s nice,” Sasha says. “And she likes a lot of the same stuff I do.”



Nancy laughs. “That’s not always a good thing.”

“Why not?” Sasha asks.



“Because you’re young,” Nancy says. “Rumor is she’s young too, and if she likes the same things as you then she must be really young.”

“She’s not a kid,” Sasha says. “She’s just...fun to be around. I’m not the only girl here anymore.”



The talk with Matthew is very different than the one with Sasha.

“Your sister says Kayla is nice.”

Matthew shrugs. “Sasha thinks everyone is nice.”

“So what do you really think?”



Matthew’s face turns into a deep scowl. “What is wrong with him? Why does he think getting married to some young girl he doesn’t really know will make him happy?”



“Maybe it will make him happy,” Nancy says, “or maybe it won’t. It’s up to your dad to find out.”

“How do you feel about it?” Matthew asks her. “Don’t you think he’ll never get back together with you now?”

Nancy sighs. “I didn’t think we’d get back together even before this. Your dad and I had a good life together and we got you and Sasha out of it. But things have changed. You know I’m going out on dates too, and maybe I’ll find my new match someday. Soon, I hope.”



After talking to her kids, Nancy goes to officially meet her replacement in Ian’s life. Kayla looks nervous when Nancy looks at her.

“I’m enjoying spending time with your kids,” Kayla says. “They’re so sweet.”

“Hmm,” Nancy says, not really believing that when it comes to Matthew. “How are you liking married life?”

“It’s great. I really do love Ian. And Sasha and Matthew. I’m thrilled to be a part of this family. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”



“Well,” Nancy says. “The future isn’t always good with Ian. He’ll be away from home a lot with his career. He seems to meet new people easily.” She paused, then added, “But you should know that, since you were one of those new people in his life.”

Kayla looks worried for a moment but then she says, “I trust him. He told me about the mistakes he made, and I trust his honesty.”

Nancy shrugs. “That’s up to you.”



Life has been strained lately and so Ian gives in to the biggest want Sasha has been talking about lately. A woman from the animal shelter brings over the tiny kitten one night.



Ian can’t wait to see Sasha’s reaction in the morning when she meets the family’s new addition.

—————-

Ian did meet Kayla out at the gym and I thought I'd throw them together because it has been a couple of years since he and Nancy split up. Ian is looking for that full family picture in his mind again. 

Of course, Kayla is only 29 and so maybe she'll decide she wants children of  her own? We'll see if Ian adds to his family!

I have Nancy living as a townie right now, she doesn't have an actual home. I don't know if I'll actually play her house. I can catch up with Matthew and Sasha through Ian's home since they'll split time staying with each of their parents.

Some outtakes:

Baine’s stepmother Viola was found asleep on a park bench in the cold weather, not even dressed warmly.

Matthew set the stove on fire. Sigh.

And his family is not happy about it.

The apartment next door is making too much noise, so Matthew goes to give the neighbor a stern talking to.

But he is embarrassed when the neighbor answers the door wearing only a towel. Now Matthew can guess what the neighbor was probably doing in there...