“What do you think about the movie Sophia picked?” Eli asks Nicole.

Somehow, despite my reluctance, he managed to talk me into meeting his niece. I don’t know how he did it. I’m almost convinced he’s a wizard.

I give Nicole a smile, which I hope doesn’t give away my nervousness too much.

“I like it,” Nicole says, adjusting her glasses.

“You do?” I ask.

“I want to watch the Frozen short,” she says. “My classmates say it’s good.”

“Oh, right. I almost forgot,” Eli explains. “There’s this short, twenty-minute thing that plays before the movie. She’s been talking about it for days.”

“Huh. I really picked a good one after all.” I smile as I check the writing on the popcorn packaging and make sure it’s not upside down as I place it inside the microwave.

“Yeah,” Nicole says. “Anything would be better than that troll movie they made us watch.”

“When she was stuck in school during the snow storm, they made her watch a movie,” Eli explains again.

I nod, glancing at the microwave and listening to the popping sound.

“It was so stupid,” Nicole says. She looks older than seven, the way pretty little girls appear more mature than their actual age.

“What was so stupid about it?” I ask.

“Oh, no. Not this again,” Eli complains playfully.

“Okay, so, they make the bad guys seem really bad, even though they just like to eat trolls,” Nicole says. “They don’t even eat that many trolls, even though they’re the apex predators, and eating trolls makes them super happy.”

I raise an eyebrow and give Eli a look. I mouth, “Apex predators?”

He grins. “She’s really into biology.”

I nod.

“If anything, the beginning of the movie shows the predators being responsible by not eating as many trolls as they can,” Nicole goes on.

“Sustainable farming,” I comment.

Nicole gives me a questioning look.

“Sustainable farming. That means eating only as much as you need so nature can replenish itself, so species’ don’t become extinct,” I say, not sure I’m explaining it in simple enough terms.

“Sustainable farming,” Nicole repeats, committing the term to memory.

“That’s right.” I smile.

There’s something about teaching something new and watching a kid absorb that knowledge that feels so satisfying.

“I also hate the princess,” Nicole adds.

“Oh?” I ask, glancing at the microwave to check on the popcorn.

“Yeah. Her friend spent a ton of time building a bunker and getting prepared for an attack. When it happens, she invites everyone into his bunker and takes all his stuff.” Nicole groans in frustration.

“That sounds annoying,” I comment. The popping in the microwave is slowing and the air already smells like butter.

“I know!” Nicole exclaims. “What kind of a message does that send to kids?”

Eli gives me a look. “Sometimes, she doesn’t realize she’s a kid herself.”

I grin as I stop the microwave and take out the fat bag of hot popcorn.

As we move to the couch, I’m glad Eli chose to watch a movie tonight. It’s the perfect, low-stress way for Nicole and me to get to know each other.

She seems like quite the movie critic who’ll probably enjoy the activity.

And this way, if I have to disappear, hopefully she won’t notice me missing too much. We probably won’t be doing much talking tonight.

As the movie plays, Nicole sits herself between the two of us, a giant bowl of popcorn on her lap. The bright colors from the screen reflects on her glasses as she watches the screen, transfixed.

I turn to look at Eli and find him already gazing at me.

Damn it. Those eyes . . . They’ll be so difficult to forget, once I’m gone.

As the short starts to play, I glance outside. It’s snowing again, just like that day Eli and I met again in the cabin.

I don’t know how I feel about that meeting now.

Obviously, I’ve enjoyed my time with Eli. At the same time, a part of me wishes it has never happened because I can already feel my heart breaking.

But then again, the memories we have made . . . They’re priceless.

So yeah, I have plenty of conflicting emotions warring in my chest tonight.

I’ve already decided to tell Eli it’s over tonight.

I know, I know. It’s probably not a good idea to have that conversation with a child present.

But then again, that means I can walk away without Eli trying to chase after me and stop me. He has already told me his mom is staying over at her boyfriend’s tonight, so he’s the only one watching Nicole.

I thought about doing it over the phone, but that didn’t feel right. I wanted to say goodbye like an adult, to see Eli in person one last time.

Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed to meet Nicole, knowing our short relationship is about to end. But without her as a distraction, I wouldn’t know how to face Eli in the first place.

Perhaps it’s selfish of me.

But . . . Oh well, at least after tonight, my selfishness won’t affect Eli or Nicole ever again.

If anything, seeing the two of them together has only made my resolve stronger. As lovable as I find both of them, I know for sure now that I can’t give Eli the life that he wants.