my whole life was measured in summers

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Closing the door behind him and wiping his hands on his jeans, he nodded again.

“Yeah, I have a bunch of depositions to read for the law office, so you probably won’t see much of me.” He didn’t know if he was telling her to reassure her or otherwise, but his voice was firm, a promise. Besides, he wasn’t sure if Gavin even knew she was here and could only imagine his brother would have something to say if he caught wind of them being in the house together, Bailey sending wistful glances at his brother’s fiancée from the other side of the living room.

Just as he was about to climb upstairs and retreat into his study - not to go over depositions, but probably lie on the floor and try not to die - Daisy said a name that sent him hurtling back over ten years to a funfair on the pier. His hand gripped the banister and he peered at Daisy curiously, his surprise plain to see.

“You brought Ziggy?” he asked, voice cracking a little on the penguin’s name from pure shock alone. He was so taken aback by the mention of the toy he forgot to feel embarrassed.

He’d thought the penguin would be long gone by now, maybe buried underneath the rest of Daisy’s childhood memorabilia in the Priors’ garage or, if he wanted to think the worst, rubbing shoulders with landfill somewhere. He hadn’t expected her to keep him, although he supposed the longevity of a toy she’d been clamouring for for weeks before he’d won him for her stretched way beyond their break-up. Ziggy had practically been there since the beginning, when Bailey didn’t really know what love was but knew he’d do anything to knock every last coconut off their stands at the games stall. He’d wound his shoulder up every time and eventually won, even if his dad had scolded him for overdoing it with his throwing arm. That was back when he’d still cared about baseball, although he’d cared about making Daisy smile more.

His heart twisted when he thought back to the way Ziggy had become their summer mascot. Jackie had crocheted him a ton of outfits, Bailey had come up with a voice for him and the tiny penguin had had more careers and hobbies than Barbie. He was just kind of talented like that.

Despite himself, Bailey found himself smiling. He might even have called his expression fond.

“I didn’t know you still kept him around. Makes sense though. He loves Anastasia.” When they were younger and had sat side by side on the sofa together, Bailey had even made a show of making Ziggy cover his eyes with his wings during the Rasputin scenes.

Gently smacking the flat of his hand against the banister as he deliberated over what to do, he reminded himself to be sensible.

“You two have fun,” he told Daisy.

A moment’s pause. And then, because he was a glutton for punishment: “Maybe let me know if Sleepless in Seattle is on the schedule.”

“Of course I did! Who else am I gonna play dress up with?” Daisy teased, keeping her tone light. She wanted to cling onto this moment, whatever it was, and bottle it up forever. Bailey was actually smiling at her, and joking too. Her heart felt fit to burst. “Lois is always busy training, and you don’t let me paint your nails anymore.” 

The words had slipped out before she could stop them, and all she could do was stand there and blush. She’d meant it in a lighthearted way, wanting to joke and laugh with him as if they were just two old friends reminiscing. But it wasn’t that, and they both knew it. Joking with your ex about a time when you were still dating, or even the time before then, was extremely dangerous territory. Especially moreso when you were dating the exes brother. 

“Anyway. I don’t go anywhere without Zig, but I’ll make sure he saves you a spot on the sofa,” she smiled. 

She felt like she was holding her breath, the oxygen trapped in her lungs as she fought not to say or do anything else embarrassing. But she found herself wanting Bailey to take the bait, and that thought alone terrified her. Not that she didn’t trust herself alone with him – of course she did! She loved Gavin, and it’s not like she and Bailey were even into each other like that anymore – but she didn’t know how productive it would be for them to be tucked up on the sofa together watching romcoms while her boyfriend – fiancé – had no idea. 

“I’ll keep you posted. I’ll be the one crying into my cocoa sofa about how handsome Bill Pullman is,” she beamed, before waving him off and finally giving him permission to leave.