My sex toy, that I used for Travis and Eli.
My head cocked to the side as I slowly walked toward it, perplexed. I remembered washing it in the bathroom sink after the guys left and putting it away back in the kid-proof drawer at the top of my closet before Emmie and Toby woke up.
My mind screamed as I tried to figure out how I had somehow put it back out in the wide open.
But I knew I didn’t.
When I picked it up, something wet touched the tip of my finger, and I dropped it back onto the stand in disgust.
“No,” I bent over and clicked the lamp on above it, and saw the half-dried opaque mess all over it. “What the fuck?”
My stomach turned, and every hair on my skin prickled and rose.
Someone had been in my room.
In my home.
My pulse was in my throat as I scanned the rest of the room. Nothing looked stolen, everything was still there. Nothing was overturned or broken.
But the air felt wrong.
Heavy.
Like the walls were falling in on me, leaning against themselves, telling me that I wasn’t alone inside.
Travis.
Eli.
Call them.
The thoughts raced through my head as my stomach clenched in fear. But I couldn’t. They were already at the rink by now, changing and warming up for their game.
I couldn’t disrupt them.
Besides, what was I supposed to say? That I found something gross on my nightstand and that I was scared?
I was a single mom; I didn’t get to be scared. I always had to be brave. With shaking hands, I lifted the toy by the baseand shoved it in the trash in the kitchen, burying it under paper towels and other trash sitting on top.
And then I pulled the jersey on and left the house, calling my mom as I got back in my car.
“Hey, Honey.” She said in greeting, “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I swallowed, driving through the winter darkness back to the rink. “Is everything good there?”
“Here?” She asked with a chuckle, “Yes, we’re fine. The kids are watching a movie, and I’m reading. Why?”
“No reason,” I said, forcing myself to take a deep breath. “I just wanted to make sure before I went back in for the rest of my shift.”
“Are you okay?” She asked, and I could feel the shift in her voice like a physical change in direction. “You sound winded.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I raised my voice to sound more upbeat.
“Franny,” She warned, “I don’t want you overburdening yourself.” I groaned silently, fighting the urge to hang up before she could talk about the worst time of my life. “The last time you burned out so hard you?—”
“Mom.” I snapped. “I’m not burned out; I just had a few minutes to get stuff done. Nothing more.”
“Are you sure?” She pushed, “You’re dating. Not just one man either?—”
