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CHAPTER 47
MIA
I’m hesitant to get out of bed the next day, thankful I still have another day off before I have to return to work. I lay in bed when my phone rings and I stare at it as it continues, wanting to be alone, wanting to sit in my own thoughts as to what has become of my life and my family.
I was happy. I have a guy that's amazing and makes me smile and laugh, I have friends and a pretty great job I enjoy, but it's hard to see all of that when the one person who was by my side my whole life is turning me away and I have no idea why. Would it be better if I knew?
I didn’t know, but I did know that phone was not going to stop ringing because it has been ringing for more than a minute now. Whoever it is, it must be important.
I answer, flopping back on my bed, and am met with Ava’s soft voice. “Hey, how are you feeling?”
I sigh. “Yeah, I’m good.”
She hesitates, and I know she is about to ask something. I raise my brows, waiting, when she asks, “So, what are you up to today?”
I roll my eyes, tired. “Just ask, Ava.”
She is quiet for a moment before she finally speaks. “I’m sorry to ask this, but could you watch Charlie tonight? Conner is with Hunter. Turns out, the cops spoke to him last night. He’s in a lot of trouble, Mia.”
I sit up in the bed, not able to help the worry as I ask, “What kind of trouble?”
“He was driving drunk, Mia. He’ll have to attend court and usually that kind of thing results in a fine and I don’t know what else. It’s not gonna be good.”
I try to swallow the worry because what can I do? I can’t defend him because what he did was wrong, and he knew it and did it anyways. He’s going through something but won’t let anyone in, so what can I do?
Not wanting to think about that right now, needing space to breathe, I clear my throat and change the subject. “Why do you need me to watch Charlie?”
“Oh, Harper’s flight is gonna be coming in tonight, and I gotta go pick her up. I don’t wanna take Charlie on the long drive because he gets restless, so I thought he could stay with you. I would have asked Conner’s parents, but they’re still out of town.”
I raise my brow again. “So I’m the last resort?”
“No, that would be Logan.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Yeah, if you want your kid wrapped in towels because he is incapable of putting a diaper on.”
She laughs. “At least he didn’t leave him in a full diaper or with nothing on him.”
“Say it how you want, but some people just shouldn’t have kids.”
Ava sighs. “And people do. So you in?”
I think about the cute chubby cheeks and his little arms and legs and can’t help but smile at how much I love that kid. The answer is clear. “Alright, bring him over and we can watchFriday the 13th.”
“Don’t you dare!” she screams in a panic, and I laugh, almost forgetting everything going on.
Smiling into the phone, I say, “Okay, so just bring him over and we can hang out.”
I hang up before she can reply, already kicking the sheets off me, eager to have some more time to forget. Even just for a little while.
Charlie arrived later,and I took him in my arms. We played and gushed over him for hours until Riley mentioned something about food, volunteering to pick up some pizza and candy for me.
At first, he was hesitant to leave us alone, worried about how I’ve been feeling, but I reassured him that it will be quick, and he’ll be back before they know it.
After some hesitation, he agreed, leaving and locking the door behind him and just like that, it was Charlie and I.
It doesn't take long for Charlie to settle and fall asleep. I carry him to the bedroom, laying him down on a makeshift bed we made on the floor by our bed because the thought of putting him on our bed scared the shit out of me. I had images of him falling off and hurting himself, and I couldn’t deal with that.
I set him down and he moans a bit until he finally settles and sleeps soundly. I sit there, staring at him, wondering what it would be like to have my own, to live with all the love and fear that anything could happen to him. So much emotion around one thing, yet I can’t help the smile I have as I look down at him, running my finger over his chubby little cheek.
