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“Are you eating, Lucy?”
“How about Lucy and Eli spend the night with us tonight? Give you and Scott the chance to hang out…”
Her last comment pushed me past my limit. I let Mrs. Jameson know that my children were going home with me. Besides, why would I send Lucy and Eli to someone who spent every moment being rude to them? Needless to say, Mrs. Jameson was not happy. By the time my parents and I loaded up the car, I felt guilty, but it was so hard to be nice to people who could be so mean.
“You okay?” Holly, the only friend who stuck around after I got pregnant, asked me.
It made me sad sometimes when I thought about everyone I lost just because I had a child, but I had no regrets. As soon as I had Eli buckled in, I turned and gave Holly a hug. “Yeah, I’m good. Thanks for coming.”
“It was good seeing you. Let’s hang out if you ever get the chance or I can come over now that you’ll have some free time,” she offered.
“I’d love that.”
She shot a heated look at Scott’s family as they got into their car and drove away. “I don’t see how you put up with them for so long. You always deserved better than Scott.”
“Tell her, Holly,” Dad muttered.
“Don’t you worry, I am!” Holly said. I gave her a smile as I pulled away from her. “I’m going to head out.”
Once my friend was gone, Mom started pestering me. “You guys come over and hang out with us the rest of the day.”
I didn’t know what I’d do without my parents. They were my rock. They helped me a lot before Scott and I split, but the last year they’d gone above and beyond so that I could finish school and work. They made me feel confident when the rest of the world judged me for being both young and a single mom of two.
“That actually sounds good,” I told her.
“Don’t let them tear you down, baby girl.” Mom rubbed my head like I was Lucy’s age.
“Need us to help you unload the presents and cake at the apartment?” Dad asked as he helped Lucy in her seat.
“Nah, we got it, don’t we, Lucy?”
“Yeah!” she screamed so I could hear her.
“Ride up when you’re finished.” Dad stepped over and kissed my forehead. He didn’t do it often, but his grumpy butt always seemed to know when Olivia or me needed a little extra affection.
“I will.”
The lake was only five minutes from the apartments. When I saw a shirtless Elijah pushing a lawnmower, I did a double take, slowing down as I pulled into the parking lot. From the tattoos I saw peeking out from his T-shirts, I figured he was probably covered, but I wasn’t prepared for his toned and muscular body. Since the weather turned nicer, and he stopped wearing jackets, I’d noticed Elijah’s bulging biceps. But God bless America…
So much muscle. So many tattoos. I wondered if he even remembered what his plain skin looked like?
“Fudge!”
I eased up on my brakes trying to avoid calling attention to my blunder. I’d driven to the end of the parking lot. Another foot forward, and I’d run over the curb. There wasn’t anything I could do but back up and turn around. Too late for being subtle. Elijah noticed us. My heart kicked up a notch. The guy gave me palpitations. Interacting with Elijah wasn’t good for me. It was just all his overwhelming masculinity that made me uncomfortable—it was why I didn’t do well with men like him. He made me flustered, and I couldn’t help it.
That was just me.
“Elijah has so many tattoos, doesn’t he, mommy?” Lucy piped in from the back.
I squinted and checked him out from the safety of the car. Despite my nerves, I liked the moments when he came over to speak to Lucy. Sometimes I thought maybe Elijah was trying to befriend us, but I became so panicky around him that I just wanted to get away. Hours later, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I could have handled myself better. Then, I’d hate myself for running away out of intimidation.
We didn’t meet under the best of circumstances, but his apology seemed genuine. Then I reminded myself that I thought Scott would always be faithful. I might not be the best judge of character.
Disappointed with my thoughts, I put the car in park and grabbed the diaper bag as I stepped out. The mower shut off, and my skin prickled with heat. I knew it was more than the sun shining on me when my cheeks warmed too. Not looking to see if Elijah was coming over, I went to Lucy’s side and unbuckled her before getting Eli whose eyes were wide and blinking after a short nap.
I looked over for the baby wrap carrier and then remembered I left it upstairs.
“Elijah!” Lucy screamed, and I groaned on the inside. My child was too friendly. She didn’t see a stranger which worried me sometimes. I should probably stop thinking of Elijah as a stranger. After all, we knew each other’s names. “Come see the toys I got.”
