Good Love Will Find Me

"Mama, can I go to the park?"

Luke was desperately bored, but Leigh desperately needed to go to work.

Natalie and John were on the couch, doing what looked to be nothing.

They were comparing feet sizes, to be exact. John's foot was so big and Natalie's not so big, so they found it amusing how much the two differed.

Leigh rolled her eyes. Those two were so weird.

"Johnny and Nat Nat can take me! Momma, can I go?"

She sighed. "Yeah, okay, Luke Ryan. Just don't get into trouble and listen to what John and Nat say, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Bye baby," she said as she leaned down to give him a kiss on the cheek, then she walked out the door.

John and Natalie were completely oblivious to the conversation that had just gone on.

"Did you hear that?" Luke said enthusiastically, "You get to take me to the park!"

John and Natalie looked at each other, wide eyed. They had no intention of leaving the house at all that day. They were doing so damn well at being holed up.

But both would do absolutely anything for Luke.

"We get to take you to the park!" said John.

Luke ran out the door and to the driveway where Valerie the truck was.

"Oh god. I wanted to watch some bad movie on Netflix," sighed Nat.

John chuckled. "We're becoming sacks of potatoes. We should probably go get some sun."

He stood and pulled her up with him, and together they headed to the garage where John unlocked the truck.

Luke sat in between the two and turned on the radio when John started the car.

"Ooh! This song is awesome."

"I agree, little man," said Nat with a laugh.

The two sang along to You Can't Hurry Love by Phil Collins.

"How do you even know this song?"

"Uncle John taught me, of course."

"Of course. You are going to be a music genius some day, Luke Ryan."

"And all the chicks will dig you for it," added John.

Luke got quiet. At first, Natalie thought it was because he didn't know the words to the verse of the song, but the chorus came back around and he didn't utter a word.

"What's wrong, Luke?" asked John, apparently noticing the same thing as she did.

"Nothing."

"Come on, something's up."

"You'll think it's dumb," the toddler mumbled.

"Luke," said Natalie, "You can't be dumb in front of us. Yesterday, John got peanut butter all over his face for no reason."

"Actually, Natalie got peanut butter all over my face for no reason."

She whispered loudly, "It's cause John was being ugly and he needed a makeover. Don't tell him, though."

Luke giggled, then sighed. "Okay. There's this girl that goes to the park a lot, and she's really pretty. But I'm scared to talk to her."

Natalie's eyes widened and her mouth stretched into a smile. "Luke, you have a crush!"

"Don't call it that! Only girls get crushes, Nat Nat."

"Yeah, Nat Nat!" nagged John.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "If girls are the ones who get crushes, then why does Uncle John have a crush on me?"

"I do not!" he defended.

"Then why do you kiss me all the time?" she teased.

Luke stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"Because I love you."

And that was that.

Those three words won almost every argument they had - playful or serious.

They arrived at the park and Luke immediately ran for the swings, hoping to snatch one before the other kids.

Natalie and John opted for the merry go round. They lay on opposite sides, the tops of their heads touching.

John spun them around slowly with his long legs.

"I can't believe Luke has a crush on someone," giggled Natalie.

"He'll snag her, I know it. The boy's got charm."

"Oh yeah? Like you'd know. You don't have a single charming bone in your body."

"Then how come you're lying here with me right now?"

"Truth be told, I'm only here for the kid."

He shook his head. "No, really. I mean, why are you here?"

"Do you not want me here?"

"No, no. I mean, yeah. I mean - shoot. I want you here, yeah. What I was trying to say was, I thought you'd be back in California by now."

"I thought so too. I was close to going back when you proposed to Allison. I felt like I wasn't needed here, but then I realized I was. I think I might have found a place for me."

"Yeah? How's that?"

"Even though you hated my guts-"

"I never hated your guts," interrupted John.

"I beg to differ. Anyway, I saw that you guys actually wanted me around and it felt good to feel like that. In California, I barely saw my dad. And when I did, I felt invisible. Because of all the time I've spent with you and Leigh and Luke and Jared and everyone, you guys have turned me into a different person."

"It's good to hear that you've learned what I saw in you all along, Nat."

"Hey, John?"

"Yeah?"

"Where do we stand?"

"Like, relationship wise?"

"Mmhmm."

It had been a few days since the barbecue, and Natalie still had no idea what she was to John now that the deal was off.

"I don't know, to be honest with you."

She stayed quiet, and they just kept spinning around and around.

"Natalie?" The merry go round stopped spinning.

"Yeah?"

"Do you wanna be my girlfriend?"

She smiled.

"Only if you'll be my boyfriend."

"Done."

"Then I would love to be your girlfriend." She laughed.

The two sat up, stood, and faced each other.

"I used to hate labels," she informed him.

"What changed?"

"When I heard them being said in your voice."

He beamed and pressed his lips to hers. "I love you, Natalie Marie Smith."

"And I love you, John Cornelius jerk face O'Callaghan."

John felt a tug on his shirt and looked down. "Uncle John?"

He bent down to face Luke. "What's up, Luke Ryan?"

"That's her." John's eyes followed Luke's pointing finger to a little girl with strawberry blonde hair.

"I see."

"I'm gonna talk to her."

John held up a hand. "High five! Whatcha gonna say?"

"I don't know."

"Okay, how about you introduce yourself, and then ask her what her name is. Then you ask her to play dinosaurs with you."

"Is that how you got Nat Nat to like you?"

John chuckled. "Not exactly."

Luke shrugged. "Okay. I'll go do it."

He walked over to her and said a few words, then stuck his hand out. She shook it, then said a few words back, smiling. He then said something else, and she nodded.

John made a fist and pulled it downwards, hissing, "Yes!" Napoleon Dynamite style.

Natalie rolled her eyes.

As the two toddlers walked towards the sandbox, Luke turned around and flashed a smile and a thumbs up at John and Natalie. They laughed and did the same.

"He's growing up so fast."


"Hello?"

"Can I speak with Natalie Smith, please?"

"This is she."

"Hi, this is Ellie from Alternative Press. I have a few questions regarding your internship."

"Oh yeah, of course!"

"You're still available, right?"

"Yeah!"

"You're aware that you must move to Cleveland in order to intern here, correct? It says here that you reside in California."

"Um, I - yeah. Yeah, I knew. Yup."

Ellie chuckled. "Slipped your mind?"

"Yeah," Nat replied sheepishly.

"That's alright. We have a spot opening up in about a month from now, at the start of October. Is that okay?"

"Start of October? Um, yeah. That should be fine."

"Good. We're very impressed with the samples you sent to us, and we look forward to having you as an editorial intern."

"Thank you. Um, yeah, thanks."

"See you soon! Have a good night."

"You too. You too."

The line went dead.