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“If Kendall and Lana suspect, you can be sure they’ll tell Elise all about it. It’s very likely that she’ll get upset,” Oliver concludes.
I shrug. “I feel we underestimate Elise a lot. She can be quite ferocious when she needs to be. And she’s smart. If she thinks this is to her benefit, she won’t protest.” Elise may be sweet and sometimes innocent, but I’ve seen her with her claws bared.
Then she’s such a magnificent sight to behold!
Despite Elise insisting that she would meet me at the venue, I show up at her place at around ten in the morning.
The wedding is at noon and I know firsthand how long women take to get dressed so I knock on the door expecting that I will have to cajole and hurry Elise along.
She opens the door, dressed in sweat pants and a tank top, a naked wriggling baby in her arms who’s vocalizing her complaints. She grabs me by my tie and drags me in, slamming the door shut behind me. Thrusting Sophie into my arms she says, “Hold her.”
Without thinking, I hold an annoyed baby who looks to be on the verge of tears and watch as Elise grabs a packet of diapers and struggles to rip it open.
She looks frazzled and as always, Sophie is completely in tune with her mother’s mood.
Sophie kicks her legs and I shift her in my arms until she’s cradled in the crook of my elbow. The position seems to suit her more but she still looks disgruntled and her little face is scrunched up in anger.
Having never seen the usually good-natured child throw such a temper tantrum, my heart immediately goes out to her, and I cuddle her. “Is your momma being mean to you?”
I follow a disgruntled looking Elise to the changing table, as she responds, “Every time I try to change her, she rolls over and starts sliding away. Then, when I scolded her, she started kicking with her legs. I don’t know why she’s being so fussy today!” Elise is glaring at her.
I bring the baby to my chest, protectively. “Let me give it a shot.”
Throwing her hands up in the air, she steps back, exasperated. “Fine!”
Sophie lays quietly for me, her fist stuck in her mouth, an innocent expression on her face. She lets me change her without any fuss.
Elise storms out the room.
Before she leaves, I see the glimmer of frustrated tears in her eyes and I have to wonder if there is more to this than Sophie just being difficult.
Alone with the quiet baby, I look down at her, whispering, “Your mom looks like she’s having a hard time. Let’s not pick on her today.”
“Gah!” Sophie catches my chin with her foot making me wince.
Bundling her up in my arms, I follow after Elise who is looking miserable. “Want to talk about it?” I ask, carefully.
She turns to look at me, then walks over and takes Sophie from me, pressing kisses on her cheeks. “Sorry for yelling at you, baby.”
The infant just gurgles.
She glances at me. “The stupid fridge broke down this morning.” She’s starting to look a little irritated. “So I brought out the tools to check it. I mean it’s a pretty normal occurrence. But when I was trying to move it, it toppled over. And if it wasn’t broken before, now it’s done for!”
Fear makes my heart clench. “You weren’t—?”
“No, no. I was behind the fridge. I’m fine. But all the milk is going to spoil and all the frozen dinners I cooked last Sunday.”
“So, get a new fridge.”
She sighs. “My neighbor is selling his. He’s moving in a week. But how am I supposed to survive without one in the meantime?”
I nudge her shoulder, offering a smile. “I could always buy you a fridge.”
She nudges me back. “I don’t want you for your money.”
“I could be your sugar daddy.”
She makes a face. “You’re disgusting.” But her eyes are laughing now. She strokes Sophie’s back. “I’ll have to figure something out.”
