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Maia
“Put your bunny in the bag,” I instruct Harper. We really need to get a second one so we have one at each house. If she loses that bunny, she’ll lose her shit right along with it. Since the moment she opened that present on her birthday, she’s been obsessed with theGuess How Much I Love Youbunny rabbit.
Harper stares at me as she stands next to the bag. Like she will not be told what to do. Two is a fun age.
“Put it in so you can take it to Daddy’s.”
“No!” she shrieks. “I want!”
“I know you want, but—”
“Hey, what seems to be the problem out here?”
“Bub!” Harper yells, toddling over to him, the bunny still in her hand.
I give up.
Who’s in control here, you ask?
Harper. Always Harper.
“She won’t put her bunny in the bag.”
Harper holds it tightly as Vince squats down so he’s closer to her eye level. He pokes her stomach.
“Hey, can you please listen to Mommy? She wants to make sure you don’t forget your bunny. You love your bunny, right?”
She nods firmly.
This child.
“Then you want to keep your bunny safe.” He guides her back to the bag. “Can you give the bunny a kiss and tuck him in?”
She stares at Vince as if he’s betrayed her, but then looks down at the bunny, gives it a big kiss, and tucks it into the bag.
Freaking seriously? How does he do that? He’s like a child whisperer or something.
“Thank you,” I say, giving him a hug as Harper bops away, ready to get in some trouble.
“No problem.” He kisses my cheek as the door swings open.
Braden walks in looking worse for the wear. I know he’s been hurting over his relationship ending, but he seems so miserable. It hurts to see him like that, and honestly, it kinda scares me too, given what we’ve been through.
“Hey,” he says, giving me a clipped nod. Then his eyes go to Vince. “Can you watch Harper for a second?”
Vince’s eyes flare slightly, then he nods. “Yeah, sure.”
“Okay, what’s going on?” I ask, looking between them.
“I just need to talk to you about something,” he says, defeat in his voice.
My brow furrows, and I glance at Vince, who gives me nothing in return.
“Uh, sure. Wanna go outside? I just need to grab my jacket.”
“Sure, I’ll meet you out there.”
“Okay.”
