Bowled Over

by Laurie Ingram Sibley

Aliyah double-checked the address her date had messaged her via the dating app where they’d met. So far she and Vince had exchanged messages and phone calls through the app. She wasn’t normally one to rush an in-person meeting, but she’d been feeling brave—and lonely. It was time to chase after what she wanted in life: love, marriage, and a baby carriage. 

They’d agreed to meet at a local brewery for their first date, but at the last minute Vince had sent a change-of-plans message with a new address. 

Aliyah pulled into the cracked and bumpy parking lot. And it appeared they were going bowling. Kind of a different vibe than she’d been anticipating. The last time she’d gone bowling was a birthday party when she was nine. 

She climbed out of the car and flipped her braids behind her shoulder. Vince had ticked all her boxes according to his profile on the dating app. But now that she was imagining him with his name embroidered on the pocket of a bowling shirt, she realized phrases like enjoys a quiet night in and family is important to me could totally describe a guy playing video games in his mom’s basement. Plus, she was hungry, and stale nachos with that plasticky orange cheese did not sound appetizing. 

Making a conscious effort to paste on a smile, she pushed open the door to the bowling alley. The room was dark and smelled like cigarettes, even though it was early and the place looked empty.

“Help you?” the woman behind the counter asked, sounding bored.

“I’m meeting someone here.”

“Guy and a kid?”

“No. Maybe he’s not here yet.”

The woman shrugged. “It’s ten dollars to get in, whether you’re playing or not.”

Of course it was. Aliyah dug in her purse.

“I got it.” A man appeared beside her. “Aliyah, right?”

She turned. A light-skinned guy was smiling shyly at her. At least his good-looking profile pic had been real. No bowling shirt. Jeans and a black polo, the sleeves tight around his biceps as he passed a ten-dollar bill over the counter. 

“Vince? Hi.”

“You want shoes?” the woman interrupted, smacking her gum.

One pair of size eights later, she followed him deeper into the bowling alley. A preschool-aged girl in a tutu and butterfly wings, her hair in two puffs, sat at the table at one of the bowling stations, licking orange cheese off a chip. Vaguely wondering where the child’s parents were, Aliyah kept walking until Vince’s voice called her back.

“Uh, this is us.” He motioned to the lane with bumpers in the gutters and the butterfly girl.

Flustered, Aliyah backtracked.

Vince put his hands on the girl’s shoulders. “This is my daughter, Harmoni.” 

Harmoni grinned up at Aliyah. “My daddy and I are on a date.”

“How—how special.” She wasn’t going to hyperventilate. Even if family is important to me was clearly code for I already have a kid.

His gaze stayed steady on hers. “I wanted to tell you about her tonight, in person, but not like this. My sister and her husband were going to babysit, but her son came down with a stomach bug this afternoon.” 

“Right, no, of course.” A lot of words from someone who wasn’t even sure what she wanted to be saying. 

From the other end of the bowling alley came the soundtrack of falling pins, matching the crash of her expectations for this date.

Vince flashed her an understanding smile and beckoned her a few steps away from his daughter. “I have full custody. Her mom lives out of town and sees her a couple times a year. We stay in Edgemont, and Harmoni goes to 4K at Woodhouse Elementary.” He laid out the details matter-of-factly. 

“We’re a package deal, but I get it if that’s not the deal you were looking for.” He paused. “You don’t have to decide right now. But I really like you so far, Aliyah, and I think we could have fun bowling together.”

Harmoni climbed onto her knees on her chair. Her wings quivered. “You wanna be on our date, too?”

That was the question.

Aliyah took a deep breath. “I’m not that great a bowler.”

Harmoni reached over and patted her arm. “That’s okay. My daddy will teach you like he teached me.”

Vince winked. “The bumpers make anyone a great bowler.”

She raised the gaudy red and green shoes in her hand. “I do already have these.”

“Me too!” Harmoni poked out a foot. “But we don’t getta keep them.”

Vince typed their names into the scoreboard while Aliyah put on the shoes. 

“Ladies first.”

Self-conscious, she lugged a heavy ball up to the red-painted line, swung, and released. The ball trundled down the lane, knocking over four pins. She flushed as father and daughter cheered and then rolled her second ball. More pins fell, leaving one standing on each side.

“Ohh.” Harmoni’s voice was sad. “They’re so lonely without their friends.”

Aliyah shared a smile with Vince over the cute comment, but the image stayed with her throughout the game.

By the end, Harmoni had climbed into her lap. 

“Careful, princess. Watch your wings,” Vince began, but Aliyah waved him off. She wrapped her arms around Harmoni, inhaling her little girl-scent. 

“What do you think?” Vince asked, offering her an out. “Have you had enough?”

Those pins on the opposite sides of the lane had looked lonely, and she was tired of keeping the future at arms-length. Maybe . . . maybe a built-in big sister to help push the baby carriage didn’t have to be a bad thing?

Harmoni tilted her head and smiled up at her. “Are we still on our date, Miss Aliyah?”

She smiled. “Let’s play another round. But first, I need some of those nachos.”