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“The skirt is short on purpose.” Clara was sitting on the bleachers at the football stadium next to Joseph with Danny on the other side of him, the three of them sharing a blanket across their laps. Joseph wasn’t paying much attention to the game in front of them, content to people watch. That was one of his favourite things to do, she had found, a trait he had definitely picked up from her. Danny hadn’t been in New Orleans for long but he had wanted to settle in, try and live a normal life with her and their son. There were no openings for a maths teacher at her school, Metairie Park Country Day School, but there had been one at St. Martin’s and with some help from Zane they’d gotten him everything he needed to take the job. He was doing quite well at it, and it seemed he was happy there.
However, tonight was a football game between their two schools so really, it could all go to hell at any moment if things got too serious. Not between her and Danny, of course, but between their fellow spectators, considering it was the homecoming game for Danny’s school.
“Doesn’t seem to be distracting the players,” he said, sipping the coffee he’d bought from the refreshment stand. “I’d have thought that would be the point.”
Clara smirked. “Oh, it’s distracting enough during classes on days when we have pep rallies, believe me,” she said. “You’ll see it more as football season goes on, and then later during basketball season.” She had some of the cider that Danny’s school had offered. “I feel like a traitor sitting on your side.”
“Well, it’s my first American football game at my school,” he said with a grin. “It would look bad if I sat on the opposing side.”
“I know.” She looked down at Joseph. “Would you like to sit on your mum’s lap for a bit?” she asked her son, pulling his attention away from his people watching. He looked up at her and lifted up his arms, and she scooped him up and set him on her lap before sliding next to Danny. Danny put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned her head against him. “So what do you think so far?”
“I prefer British football,” he said. “Chances aren’t good we’ll get to see it here, are they?”
“Well, they have soccer on the high school level in the spring,” she said. “And I believe there’s a professional team nearby. Not sure exactly where, though. We could look into it and see, if you’re interested?”
“I might be,” he said with a grin.
“I could consider looking into tickets, dinner and lodgings if needed for a few of those games as Christmas and birthday presents,” she said with a smile as her school’s team scored a touchdown and Danny’s side of the stadium began to boo. She looked over at him. “How much longer do you want to stay?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “Supposedly there’s the crowning of the homecoming court at halftime, so I suppose we should at least stay for that.”
She nodded. “All right. But after that, if you want to go, maybe we could go get ice cream at Creole Creamery?”
“Ice cream? In this weather?” Danny asked with a grin. “Are you sure?”
“Well, hot fudge sundaes are rather nice,” Clara said with a smile in return. “And it’s not as though we need to eat them outside. It’s nice and warm and cozy inside the ice cream shop. Plus many of them have warm drinks, too, like hot chocolate and cider and coffee.”
“I suppose. It would probably be colder in London right now, anyway,” he said.
“Oh yeah. With as strange as the weather has been this year, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s freezing cold in London right now. This actually feels rather balmy. But with the weird things that have happened here since I’ve arrived, there could always be a white winter here.”
“There are some advantages to snowy weather if that happens,” he said thoughtfully. “Excuses for sipping warm drinks in front of a fire, snuggling under quilts, staying in bed all day…”
“Oh, if we could get a day to stay in bed all day without this little guy demanding our attention I’d love that, so long as I actually got to sleep a little bit,” she said, pressing a kiss into Joseph’s hair. “I mean, we could have some fun, but…sleep. Sleep would be lovely.”
“Well, how about tomorrow I get up and entertain Joseph and you sleep in as late as you want?” he suggested, pulling away slightly to look at her. “And then whenever you wake up, I can treat you to breakfast in bed.”
“And just what have I done to deserve that luxury?” she asked, turning her head to rest her cheek on Joseph’s head and giving Danny a smile.
“Nothing in particular,” he said with a grin. “I just want to do something nice for you. I don’t need to have a reason, do I?”
“Nope,” she said. She lifted her head up and motioned for Danny to lean in towards her more. He did, and she kissed him softly. “I love you, you know,” she said with a smile. “And I’ll make sure to tell you and show you as often as possible.”
“Good,” he said before kissing her again. When he pulled away again he rested his forehead against hers. “I love you, too, know.”
“I’m glad,” she said as his school scored a touchdown and their side of the stadium erupted into cheers. She snuggled against him more and pulled their son close against her as the crowd went wild, enjoying the moment. It was moments like this that made life better now that Danny was back in it, moments that made her thankful that she had landed in New Orleans and lived the life she had while she had been there. If she had done anything differently she might not get to have moments like this now with the man that she loved so very much.