I went in the back door that entered right into the kitchen dining area and noticed a flurry of activity. Laura and Hanna were busy in the kitchen making dinner preparations while Mattie sat at the table playing a game on her tablet.

“Ben, you’re just in time. Dinner should be ready in about ten minutes.”

“Can I help with something?” I offered.

“I think with the help of my sous chef here, we’ve got it covered.” Sous Chef Hanna beamed with pride as she sliced some carrots for a salad. “Why don’t you join Mattie at the table while we finish getting everything ready?”

I sat down next to Mattie who was concentrating on the tablet screen. Without looking up, Mattie got up and slid onto my lap as if it was something she did all the time. My heart melted with joy.

“What are you playing?”

“A spelling game. Watch me,” she ordered. So, I did. But at that moment I was much more captivated by the activity in the kitchen.

I watched Laura with awe. Her interaction with Hanna was so positive and encouraging. It seemed to come naturally to her. Hanna struggled a bit with slicing celery and carrots. Laura calmly showed her what to do, then let Hanna do it as Laura praised and encouraged her. They were friends. There was warmth. They talked freely about all sorts of wonderful things while they worked.

I reflected on the scene in front of me and thought of how I noticed them before. Laura always spoke calmly with the girls. I never heard an angry word or raised voice like I heard from the neighbors across the street with the three boys where it seemed they couldn’t talk without screaming. Laura wasn’t soft on discipline, though. I heard her correct or occasional chastise one or both girls. But you could see them respect her. There was no fear, just loving obedience. Backtalk happened rarely, but when it did it was dealt with swiftly and lovingly. When I occasionally saw tears from the girls, it was because they knew they upset their mother and cherished her approval.

Laura was an excellent mother, and a single mother too. I hadn’t put all that together in my mind before. The more I knew about this woman, the more I admired her.

“Misser Ben, what’s this letter?”

“Mattie, what do you think it is?”

“It kinda looks like an O,” she said in a cute little sing-song voice. “But I think… it’s a Q?”

“You’re right! How’d you get so smart?”

She giggled. “I dunno. Just am!”

Mattie settled back to intensely working on her game.

I looked back at Laura and realized I never really just looked at all of her. I didn’t allow myself that luxury before because I didn’t feel right ogling another man’s wife. That was no longer an issue. Even when we talked earlier that day, I never just paused to take her in. I was focused on her eyes and her face as we talked before I even thought to gaze at the rest of her. I was already completely convinced of her internal beauty and sparkling countenance. As she floated around the kitchen with Hanna, I noticed a stunning woman who was beautiful in every way imaginable. She was most definitely out of my league.

Her face was oval shaped and highlighting her cheeks were the cutest dimples I had ever seen. A button nose, enticing lips, and classically beautiful chin completed her gorgeous face. I couldn’t help feeling that Laura was more beautiful than any actress that came to mind because facial features alone are only a small portion of the picture. Her personality, warmth, caring, positive attitude, personal strength, and confident humility all completed a picture that drew me to her. I found her to be irresistible.

I tore my view away from her eyes and face to observe the rest of her. I guessed she was about 5’6”. She was not skinny, but she was a healthy size with perfectly shaped legs leading to a delightful bottom. I never claimed to be an expert in bra sizes so I didn’t even try to attach a number, but her breasts were perfectly shaped and sized to fit the rest of her. If I could paint a picture of my ideal woman, it would look like the vision that stood before me.

The more I was around her, the greater the attraction I felt towards Laura. I didn’t think I had ever experienced a stronger force. Her physical beauty was now raising up other forces of attraction that both thrilled me and scared the heck out of me. I didn’t deserve to be in her presence. I was sure of that. And yet I was there, and she seemed to want me there. I think she knew I was staring at her. She glanced with a smile, then continued the work at hand.

A few moments later, Laura stirred me from my thoughts as she directed her attention towards Mattie and me.

“Mattie, please put that away and get silverware for everybody.” Mattie immediately obeyed her mother and again I was impressed. “Ben, would you be so kind… could you get wine glasses in the cabinet behind you and pour some for us?”

We sat around the small circular table that would comfortably seat six people. Laura’s spot was across from me when she eventually joined us, and the girls were on each side between us. I expected the girls would dive right in, or at least be talkative and full of energy, but they sat quietly waiting patiently for Laura. My first thought was this seemed almost formal, but I’d learn that it was family etiquette and good manners that Laura had instilled. Dinner was a sharing time. Only one person spoke at a time. This behavior was second nature for them.

As Laura took her seat, she reached for each girl and took a hand. The girls each turned towards me and reached for my hands. My body exploded into goosebumps as we formed this family circle. I wasn’t family, of course, but at that moment I was warmly included, and it thrilled my soul. I longed for this feeling for so long, especially since Megan left. This was good. No… better than good. It was incredibly heartwarming.

Laura turned toward Hanna. “Sweetie, would you say the blessing tonight? I think it’s your turn.”

I expected Hanna would give a typical kid’s response. Maybe she’d hem and haw or get embarrassed. Perhaps she’d push back and try to get out of it. I didn’t expect what I heard.

“Thanks, Mom!”

She was eager to do this!

“Let’s pray! Jesus, thank you for this beautiful day and the fun we had. Thank you for Mom and Mattie and our family. And a special thank you for Mr. Ben being with us. I’m glad he lives next door and is so nice! Thank you for this food and for Mom making one of my favorites. You made everything, God. Thanks for giving us what we need. And everyone says…”

We all join in a hearty, “Amen!”

Hanna and Mattie squeezed my hands and I squeezed back. Hanna and Laura both looked at me with big smiles. My eyes filled but held their moisture with the right amount of blinking. I wanted this feeling to last forever.

Laura thanked Hanna, then started to dish out the source of the divine smell emanating from a very hot dish. Laura had made her special family recipe lasagna. I don’t know the secret ingredients, but it was the best I’ve ever had. Hanna prepared a salad for us as well as a loaf of five-star-restaurant quality garlic bread. The mother/daughter chef team knew what they were doing in the kitchen!

“Mattie, why don’t you tell Mr. Ben about your new friend from up the street?”

Mattie launched into a glowing report about her new acquaintance, Shalon. Everyone paid attention to her tale, never interrupting, but asking leading questions so Mattie knew that we all cared about what she had to say.

The consideration they had for each other spoke volumes of how well Laura was raising these two fantastic, beautiful daughters. It spoke to my heart. I was very aware of my growing feelings for Hanna and Mattie, but especially for the lovely woman seated facing me. Despite the terrible past she revealed, Laura had herself together. Her priorities were in order. None of that misery was going to impact her girls. They would grow to be considerate of those around them, polite, focused on the right things, confident in who they were, and they would be secure that they were surrounded by love.

That day I stumbled into a family that loved and behaved the way I always dreamed my family would be. It was not an impossible dream! Laura was proving it could happen, and she was doing it as a single mom with God at her side. How could I not be amazed? Laura was absolutely wonderful.

Hanna talked next and shared about her dance recital a week earlier. She was the featured dancer in the ballet presentation, but she really loved her Broadway class and the performance they gave. I felt bad I missed it. I found myself wishing that day’s events had happened two weeks ago, so I would know to be there and watch her. A video was being edited and would be available soon, and Hanna was really excited for me to watch it. I wanted to share that time with her too.

I was immersed in a family atmosphere that thrilled me to the core. After each girl finished sharing their dinner update, Hanna turned her attention to me.

“Mr. Ben, what kind of stuff do you like to do?”

“Besides talking to three beautiful girls and eating lasagna?”

It may have sounded like I was joking, but that activity was now on the top of my list.

Hanna rolled her eyes and blushed while Laura stifled a spit-take.

“Come on… what do you like?”

I started the serious portion of the list with golf, baseball, football and the like. The list got longer… and longer… and a lot sillier as Hanna and Mattie laughed uncontrollably. “I like naming clouds… chasing butterflies… watching dogs talk to cats… watching cats ignoring them… blowing bubbles… catching them. You know, normal stuff!”

I noticed Laura watching the scene in front of her. She had her elbows on the table and her wrists crossed and held just under her chin, almost like she was hugging herself. Her face was glowing, and her eyes glistened. She loved what she was witnessing, and you could read her sense of contentment.

Everyone at the table had their time of undivided attention. Laura then let the girls lead the chatter at the table. The pace of the conversation was high energy but still always respectful. We were getting comfortable with each other. And the best part? Laura and I continually shared glances. They clearly held a deep and growing meaning for us both. Mattie still seemed oblivious to the chemistry forming, but Hanna shared happy looks with both her mother and me. There was a joy growing within me that wanted to burst out and spread to the whole world. My emotional stamina was tested to the limits, and I loved it.

I forced Laura to let me help with cleanup while the girls went into the family room to play and watch TV. I wanted to be alone with Laura to share what dinner meant to me.

“You really don’t need to help, Ben! You’re our guest.”

I finished bringing dishes from the table. “So do guests rinse, or load the dishwasher?”

“Okay.” She rolled her eyes and faked exasperation. “It’s the guest’s choice.”

“I’m a semi-professional rinser!” She pretended to be impressed.

We started our tasks as I considered what I wanted to say.

“Laura, you may not believe when I say this, but that was the most amazing dinner I’ve ever had!”

“Please!” She groaned. “That was just a quick and simple family favorite.”

I laughed a little. “The food was excellent and really added to my impression of the meal.” I captured her gaze with my hands still in the sink. “But it was everything else that really made it amazing!”

She tried to look inquisitive as if she wasn’t sure what I meant, but I think she knew exactly.

“Hanna and Mattie… how well behaved they are with self-control beyond their years… the obvious love and consideration you all share… the warmth… the please-and-thank-you politeness… those two are something else! And how you are with them is… Wonderful!” I chuckled a little. “I almost said unbelievably wonderful, but it’s not. It’s completely believable! It was like watching an example of how a family should be, but it was real. I can’t begin to tell you how that touched me!”

She put her hand over mine to say thank you, but she couldn’t say it yet. Her pause let me finish. I recaptured her gaze.

“Laura, I’m getting to know a wonderful, strong, amazing woman and mother today. I feel incredibly privileged to even be standing here with you. I really needed this, and I’m so grateful you welcomed me here!”

She looked at me with glistening eyes that started to dampen contour of her cheeks. She reached over and gave me a strong, long embrace as I pulled her into me. This wasn’t a comforting hug like earlier. This was clearly our first embrace of affection. Our hands were wet, but it didn’t matter. We were wordlessly communicating. Heat flowed between us. It was a milestone. It set the tone for the rest of the evening.

She spoke softly into my chest as we embraced. “I needed this too… and you’re always welcomed!”

We finished up the dishes and joined the girls. We enjoyed more light chatter, a game of Chutes and Ladders, and me losing badly to Hanna in a game of Super Mario (and, yes, she beat me fair and square). It was 8:30 when Laura asked the girls to go get ready for bed.

She turned to me with yet another smile. “I hope you can stay for a little while.”

“Absolutely! I’ll get us some more wine and wait right here.” Her smile spoke volumes.

Mattie gave me a goodnight hug and kiss on the cheek. This little one already had me on a string. Laura scooted her up the stairs while Hanna came over to say goodnight. She hugged me as well then pulled back and looked me square in the eye. At that moment I can see her mother in her. She floored me with what she said next.

“Mr. Ben, we really like you. Please be nice to my mom. She needs it.” She quickly kissed my cheek, turned, and ran upstairs shouting, “goodnight!”

How did a girl her age pick up on all these signals? I didn’t know, but she had developed a pretty clear understanding of the chemistry filling the air. I had yet another moment to cherish.

I poured the wine and willed myself to quickly learn if Laura and the girls could possibly be in my life permanently. This felt awfully quick but awesomely right. How I got to that point in one day, I can’t explain. I was sure I didn’t deserve her, and yet I was confident that Laura was on the same wavelength. At that very moment, I determined that I would be an open book with Laura. When I felt something, I’d tell her. Where we went couldn’t be fast enough for me. How she responded would help me understand the pace she was comfortable with.