“No Evie, I’m coming to get you. I don’t have any meetings planned for this morning so I’m free.” Her voice harboring no room for arguments. Harper has been my best friend since we were kids. When that bitch Betty Rogers pushed Harper over and made her cry, I decided then and there that she was my friend. So I punched Betty right in her stupid face. Harper and I have been close ever since.
“Fine.” I sigh in defeat. “I’ll call the mechanic in the meantime and see if I can get someone to come pick it up.”
Forty minutes later and I’m waving Harper goodbye as I run up the front steps and walk through the door.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” Throwing my keys at the end table, and whipping off my jacket, missing the hook when I go to hang it. I’ll pick it up later. On second thought, I turn around and pick it up. It’s bad enough that I’m late because of my car. I shouldn’t be a slob too. Ensuring my jacket is secure before I edge my way further into the house.
Shiloh is nowhere to be found, a knot forms in my stomach. Guilt wracks my body, Monty probably had to call in late to work because of my fuck up. There is a faint sound of noise coming from the bathroom. Josie is in the living room, feeding Hayes. Josie’s head snaps up, concern covers her face.
“Evie, I’m glad you could make it.”
A soft smile graces her lips, and my guts twist. Feelings of guilt flood through me. I’m sure she’s just being nice. I fucked up and didn’t get my car checked out like I should have, and now I’m late to my job. My job that I love. That I feel so at ease in, and how do I thank them? By not showing up when I’m supposed to.
“I am so sorry Josie,” I begin as I head to the kitchen and fill up a water bottle with ice for her. Noticing as soon as I saw her that she didn’t have a drink. “I forgot to plug my phone in last night and it died while I was asleep. I was lucky enough to wake up when I did. Then my car wouldn’t start. So Harper dropped me off, and I had to call the mechanic shop to get them to come pick it up.”
I pass her the water bottle and she places it beside her. “Evie, don’t apologize, I’m just glad you’re alright. Harper had texted me saying she was giving you a lift, so Monty is just going in a bit later this morning.”
Guilt takes a vice grip on my stomach as it twists and pulls making me feel nauseous. “I hope I didn’t mess up his whole day.” I begin to chew on my lip as I stand beside Josie. She begins patting Hayes on the back to get him to burp. Which comes almost instantly, followed by a loud, wet fart which causes Josie to chuckle under her breath.
Quickly I grab Hayes and begin to change his diaper so we can continue with our usual morning routine.
“Evie!” Shiloh yells, and I hear the patter of his footsteps as he comes closer. Wrapping his arms around me he gives me a big squeeze, “My dad helped me pack my lunch this morning and he said he was going to come get me on the bus!” The pure joy that radiates from him is contagious and I can’t help but to smile.
“Good morning my guy!” I respond as I lift his brother who is changed and ready to go. “That’s so exciting that your dad’s coming to get you on the bus. Can you help me out by grabbing Hayes’ carrier for me?”
Shiloh nods eagerly before taking off in the opposite direction where the carrier is stored. Moments later, Monty joins us in the living room. His eyes go to his wife quickly before they begin searching the room and land on me. Heat fills my body as his attention stays on me.
“Morning Evie,” he says, with a casual smile on his lips. My eyes zero in on his face as he scratches his cheek, the start of a beard growing on his face. Then the thought of how his beard hair might feel on my skin runs rampant through my mind.
“Harper told me you were having car troubles. Do you need me to go and look at it?” He offers as he makes his way to the kitchen to fill up a mug of coffee.
“What?” I gape, “Oh no, you don’t need to do that, I already called my mechanic and he said he would swing by at some point today to grab it and bring it to the shop.” Shiloh has returned with the carrier. Placing Hayes into the swing I begin to get the carrier ready on my body before placing him into it. “It just means I’ll be catching rides, or ordering a ride share to get here, but I don’t want you to worry because I’ll still be here on time.”
Josie has since moved to the kitchen island and is sipping on her own cup of coffee. “I’m glad you were able to get it sorted out. I’m sure it’ll all work out in the end.” With just those words she was able to settle the nerves in me. I can’t afford to lose this job after just getting it. I have felt such a sense of comfortability in this role, and I’ve begun to look forward to it everyday.
Every day that I spend with the boys, I grow more and more attached. Then during the quiet moments, after Shiloh has gone to school, and once Hayes is down for a nap. That’s when Josie and I are alone, and every moment alone with her feeds into wanting to know more about her. Ineedto know more about her. Like how she only drinks her coffee with a french vanilla creamer, and it needs to be the color of toasted almonds, or the way she hums before that first sip.
“Alright,” Monty claps before he continues, “it’s time to head out or else we’ll miss the bus!”
Chapter Eight
Josie
Five Weeks Postpartum
Iwatchthroughthewindowas Evie leaves, Harper has been picking her up every evening since her car broke down. It took the mechanics a day for them to tell Evie that her car was toast and she was better off buying a new vehicle.
Unease settles in my stomach as I watch her drive away. I don’t like that she has to take a ride share in the morning, or that she has to rely on someone else to pick her up. The natural need to take care of her flares in me.
The taillights disappear as they turn the corner, gone out of my sight. I move to the bathroom where Monty is with Shiloh getting him washed up. We agreed to a bubble bath, so I don’t know what I’ll be walking into with those two goofs.
I hear the mess before I see it. The tell tale sounds of water splashing over the side of the tub, followed by the giggles of my boys. As I stand in the doorway, I watch as Monty places bubbles on his face, giving himself a long bubbled beard. He abruptly stands, grabbing an invisible staff as he looks at Shiloh before stating “You. Shall. Not. Pass.” stomping his foot with every word.
A giggle burst from me as I watch my husband act out a scene from a movie he has probably see a hundred and one times. Monty catches me from the corner of his eye, a playful smirk plays across his lips.
“Be still my heart!” He starts, “for my love has come to save me.” He falls to his knees and reaches out his arms to me. I raise my eyebrows at him, and his smile widens while shuffling on his knees before me. He clasps my hands in his and brings them to his heart. Shiloh giggles in the background.
“Alright, alright” I laugh as I remove my hands, “It looks like the washing is all done, let’s get out and ready for bed”
