TL *Humaning the Best She Can*’s Reviews > The Stand-in Dad > Status Update

Loving this but putting it on hold when I have more time to devote to it

All this planning for Meg’s wedding made him wonder what might have happened if, years before, he and Mark had decided to get married. He knew Mark was keener on it than him, and still was, but no part of him had ever wanted that many eyes on a performance of their relationship and Mark hadn’t brought it up in years. They were happy. What was there to prove?

If he had kids, maybe there would be a more obvious demarcation of the months and years passing than just the weather. Plants, of course, had their own rhythm and calendar, which felt almost musical to David, but most weeks in the shop did run into each other in a not unpleasant way.

When community spirit was this high, it was easy to imagine it was the height of summer, but as the afternoon came, and David meandered alone to fill the time, there was a slight chill in the air as if the weather wanted to remind people it was still early on. Spring had sprung, but only slightly. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, the sky seemed to say.

David and Mark are adorable 😍

Can I adopt David, Mark, and their friends 🧡?

Sending many hugs 🫂 to Meg too!

Very low today, real world shit...wish I could travel to another universe.

Sitting opposite the man who had now introduced himself as David, Meg was surprised at how the day had turned out. When she left the house that morning, she hadn’t expected to be tear-stained and sharing her entire life story with a stranger in a flower shop.

Meg looked up at the stars, hoping for an answer. The sky was a dark purple, the sun long gone, and she felt the cold spread around her neck and shoulders. She wished she was wearing Hannah’s big pink fluffy jumper, something to comfort her. She felt restless and adrift. All she wanted was Hannah and a blanket and the breakfast they loved. A cup of tea, made by somebody else. A biscuit and a hug.