“Wrong pipe,” she says, straining through her coughing fit.
“I’ll get you some water.” Happy to have an escape from the Weird Sisters, I jump up and dash into the kitchen. After opening two cupboards, I find the glasses and fill one with water.
Gail’s still coughing when I return, but not as much. She mutters “thank you” when I hand her the glass.
Janine bounces Addy on her knee like she’s two years old, and not two months, which she isn’t anyway. Addy’s head is bobbling around.
“I think we’re going to get going. It’s about time for another bottle, and I don’t have one with me.” I grab Addy off of Janine’s lap and head for the door to the garage before either of them can stop me. “Thanks for the coffee,” I say, shoving my way out the door.
Outside, I take a huge gulp of air and hold it in for ten seconds, then push it out. “That was painful, huh?”
Addy squirms and lets out a sharp shriek.
“Yeah, I could scream too. Let’s go to the park now. Hope you don’t mind if I grab a few applications on our way home. You like wearing diapers and eating, don’t you?”
She kicks and waves her fists.
“That’s what I thought.”
chapter
eleven
When we get back late in the afternoon, there’s a car in our driveway that I’ve never seen. Chris and Mr. Buckridge aren’t home, and I instantly feel like throwing up, wondering if the person inside is waiting to arrest me and take Addy back.
Then logic sets in. Whoever it is has to have a key. Anyone here to arrest me wouldn’t be inside.
Unless that person has a warrant.
Shit. I don’t know what to do. They’re blocking my car. I don’t have the car keys anyway. Addy’s fussy and wants to be out of the heat. I’m screwed.
Without any other options, I push the stroller around to the patio, lift Addy out, and go inside through the back door.
The smells of lemon wood polish and spaghetti sauce fill my nose. There’s a plump old lady with curly gray hair stirring a pot on the stove. “Hello!” she trills when she sees me, dropping her spoon and rushing over to kiss my cheek and lift Addy out of my arms. “Christopher told me you had a baby. I’m his grandma, Ken’s mom. I come over most days to take care of my boys, clean, you know, things like that.” She squeezes Addy tight. “Aren’t you just the smallest little bundle ever? Little sweetie. Grandma will love you up!” She makes her way by the table, her hips bumping against the chairs as she passes them, and into the family room.
Everything inside me wants to jump for joy. She’s not here to arrest me, and I’ve never had a grandma. I want her to squeeze me and love me up too. I was always jealous of the other kids for having grammies, mee maws, nanas, and grannies.
My mom’s mom abandoned her when she was young. I don’t blame her. Mom was probably evil then, too.
“Leah, dear?” Mrs. Buckridge calls from the family room. “I think your little darling needs a diaper. Mind if I go up and change her?”
Do I mind? Hell no. She can change diapers until her fingers fall off. “No, I don’t mind. I’ll come up with you.”
She takes the stairs slowly, planting her feet deliberately on each step, her hand grasping the railing and sliding up as she rises. At the top, she opens the door and goes inside, with me behind her.
“Okay, little darlin’, we’re going to get you all cleaned up.” Her body rocks back and forth as she walks straight into my bedroom. “Diapers in here, Leah?”
“Yeah, on the changing table on the side of the Pack ’n Play.” I hurry in after her.
“The things they have for you young moms. Pack ’n Play.” She shakes her head, tearing the tabs back on Addy’s diaper. “We just tossed a towel on the sofa when we changed our babies, and put them to sleep in a crib.”
My eyes snag on Addy’s umbilical cord. At two months, her stub would be gone. At least that’s what the baby books I skimmed through told me. Mrs.
“I’ll get you some water.” Happy to have an escape from the Weird Sisters, I jump up and dash into the kitchen. After opening two cupboards, I find the glasses and fill one with water.
Gail’s still coughing when I return, but not as much. She mutters “thank you” when I hand her the glass.
Janine bounces Addy on her knee like she’s two years old, and not two months, which she isn’t anyway. Addy’s head is bobbling around.
“I think we’re going to get going. It’s about time for another bottle, and I don’t have one with me.” I grab Addy off of Janine’s lap and head for the door to the garage before either of them can stop me. “Thanks for the coffee,” I say, shoving my way out the door.
Outside, I take a huge gulp of air and hold it in for ten seconds, then push it out. “That was painful, huh?”
Addy squirms and lets out a sharp shriek.
“Yeah, I could scream too. Let’s go to the park now. Hope you don’t mind if I grab a few applications on our way home. You like wearing diapers and eating, don’t you?”
She kicks and waves her fists.
“That’s what I thought.”
chapter
eleven
When we get back late in the afternoon, there’s a car in our driveway that I’ve never seen. Chris and Mr. Buckridge aren’t home, and I instantly feel like throwing up, wondering if the person inside is waiting to arrest me and take Addy back.
Then logic sets in. Whoever it is has to have a key. Anyone here to arrest me wouldn’t be inside.
Unless that person has a warrant.
Shit. I don’t know what to do. They’re blocking my car. I don’t have the car keys anyway. Addy’s fussy and wants to be out of the heat. I’m screwed.
Without any other options, I push the stroller around to the patio, lift Addy out, and go inside through the back door.
The smells of lemon wood polish and spaghetti sauce fill my nose. There’s a plump old lady with curly gray hair stirring a pot on the stove. “Hello!” she trills when she sees me, dropping her spoon and rushing over to kiss my cheek and lift Addy out of my arms. “Christopher told me you had a baby. I’m his grandma, Ken’s mom. I come over most days to take care of my boys, clean, you know, things like that.” She squeezes Addy tight. “Aren’t you just the smallest little bundle ever? Little sweetie. Grandma will love you up!” She makes her way by the table, her hips bumping against the chairs as she passes them, and into the family room.
Everything inside me wants to jump for joy. She’s not here to arrest me, and I’ve never had a grandma. I want her to squeeze me and love me up too. I was always jealous of the other kids for having grammies, mee maws, nanas, and grannies.
My mom’s mom abandoned her when she was young. I don’t blame her. Mom was probably evil then, too.
“Leah, dear?” Mrs. Buckridge calls from the family room. “I think your little darling needs a diaper. Mind if I go up and change her?”
Do I mind? Hell no. She can change diapers until her fingers fall off. “No, I don’t mind. I’ll come up with you.”
She takes the stairs slowly, planting her feet deliberately on each step, her hand grasping the railing and sliding up as she rises. At the top, she opens the door and goes inside, with me behind her.
“Okay, little darlin’, we’re going to get you all cleaned up.” Her body rocks back and forth as she walks straight into my bedroom. “Diapers in here, Leah?”
“Yeah, on the changing table on the side of the Pack ’n Play.” I hurry in after her.
“The things they have for you young moms. Pack ’n Play.” She shakes her head, tearing the tabs back on Addy’s diaper. “We just tossed a towel on the sofa when we changed our babies, and put them to sleep in a crib.”
My eyes snag on Addy’s umbilical cord. At two months, her stub would be gone. At least that’s what the baby books I skimmed through told me. Mrs.
Similar Books
