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“No, not Ted. I honestly think he’s harmless. It’s just…”
“What, Bryce? Just what? What aren’t you telling me?”
Problem was, I didn’t know myself. Maybe that was a wrong assumption. Maybe Mom and Henry needed to be right here. Where I could keep an eye on them.
“Never mind. Everything’s fine. I’d miss you both too much anyway.”
That was the truth of the matter. I missed my son now. I’d given my mom basically all the responsibility for him since the shit with my father had gone down. Henry had truly helped heal her, but because of that, he hadn’t helped me heal. Not that it was a one-year-old kid’s duty to heal anyone. That was a hell of a burden to put on a baby.
“Why would you bring that up?” she asked. “I don’t understand.”
“Nothing, Mom. Just forget I said anything.” I pulled Henry out of his high chair. “Let’s go check your diaper, buddy, and then we’ll go out. Just you and me.”
“That will be good for both of you.” Mom smiled. “It will also give me some time to get this house in order.”
I looked around. “This house is immaculate, Mom.”
“It just needs Grandma’s touch, I think. Henry has nothing but white walls in his room.”
“Henry doesn’t know a white wall from Noah’s Ark,” I said. “Don’t bother. He’ll be old enough to choose how he wants his room done soon enough.”
“But it will be fun for me.”
I nodded. “Okay, Mom. Whatever you want.”
I quickly changed Henry and dressed him in some day clothes. Then I took his car seat out of my mother’s car and placed it in the Mustang.
My father’s car.
I so had to get rid of it.
We drove the half hour into town and stopped at the Gymboree playhouse. Henry was too young to do a lot of the activities, so I sat and watched him play in the toddler’s ball pit. It kept him occupied for about forty-five minutes before he started to get fussy.
I picked him up and walked outside so he wouldn’t bother the others, and—
“Ma-ma!” he exclaimed.
God. Marjorie Steel walked toward us dressed to kill in leggings, a tank, and a fleece jacket. She wore cross-trainers on her feet.
She smiled. “Hi there, Henry.”
“Hi,” I said as nonchalantly as I could. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m going to the gym,” she said to Henry in a baby voice. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
Right. The gym was two buildings down.
Henry giggled and clasped his tiny hand around her first two fingers. Her red nails peeked out over his chubby fist.
“Did you go to Gymboree?” she cooed. “Are you having fun?”
“He played in the ball pit but got a little fussy, so we came out here for a few.”
“His tooth again?”
“Probably.”
“Did you bring a teething ring with you?”
