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“Is that so? Did your mom get you hopped up on sugar just in time for them to go out?”
“I only had like six Oreos!” she says holding up two hands.
“Six huh?” I look towards the stairs, cursing my sister and brother-in-law.
“Can we play tea party?”
“Em, can we just have a movie night?” I ask as I feel the exhaustion of the past few days catching up with me. Breaking up with Drew, getting hammered, staying out all night much of which I spent getting bent into about ten different positions, and then working all day all the while trying to make sense of my very complicated feelings for my office enemy turned…fuck frenemy?
I am tired as fuck.
“Teaatthe movies,” Emma negotiates.
“Fine, but can you give me an hour? I have to work on a story.”Aka nap.
“One hour, Auntie Lo.” She puts her tiny finger up next to her face and wiggles it and I can’t help the chuckle that leaves my lips.
* * *
Tiny kissesall over my face wake me up and I open an eye to see that not only is Emma in my bed, but she’d put on all my makeup, so now I’m sure my face is covered in bright red lipstick. “Really, Emma?”
She smiles. “Do I look pretty!?”
“Surprisingly, yes, good blush choice.” I point at her as I manage to pull myself out of bed and walk to the adjoining bathroom. “Your mom and dad leave?”
“Yes, they were leaving when I came in to wake you up.” She follows me into the bathroom, dragging her gray bear that is never far behind. “Where do you get babies?” she asks suddenly.
I look down at her and then at the mirror, wondering how in the world I got stuck with the task of having this conversation with my very inquisitive niece. “What do you mean?”
“Well, Daddy said that they’d be back with a baby in mommy’s belly. Is that where they’re going tonight? To get the baby?”
I snort and roll my eyes at my brother-in-law’s consistent ability to never check the room for little ears. “Did your Daddy say that to you?”
“No, they were in their room, but I heard it!” She presses her bear to her face to hide her eyes.
She knows better.“What did we tell you about eavesdropping?”
She drops the bear and looks up at me with her signature ‘don’t yell at me’ eyes. “I don’t even know what that word means!”
“Yes, you do, we talked about not listening to conversations that you’re not a part of.” I raise an eyebrow at her and she lowers her face.
Her bottom lip juts out in a pout. “But no one talks to me.”
I kneel in front of her and begin wiping the makeup off her face. “Don’t start that, I talk to you all the time. More than I talk to anyone and your parents are very attentive. You’re just nosy.”
“I want to be a journalist like you Auntie Lo! I gotta know all the tea!”
“Oh my God, have you been watching Bravo again?” I stand up, leaving the makeup wipe in her hand so she can finish cleaning her face.
“No. Mommy put parental controls on, and I can’t crack the code!” She shoots me a mischievous grin and I shake my head.
“Hey, I don’t know what it is.” I put my hands up. “Are you hungry?” I ask her as we make our way out of my bedroom and down the stairs.
“No, Mommy cooked before she left! She left some for you in the refrigerator.” I sigh in relief when I see the chicken piccata. My sister is an excellent cook and despite the five pounds I’ve gained while living here, it’s definitely one thing I’ll miss when I move. I heat the chicken as Emma takes off in search of her tea set and something to watch tonight. I pull up my Instagram app and immediately watch Charley’s story as usual and I smile when I see her daughter, Ana’s happy face. She is the cutest and Will and Charley are adjusting to parent life well considering Will is barely sleeping. Charley says there were nights he just stares at Ana to make sure she’s still breathing.
Iheartthe story before messaging her that I can’t wait to see her and Ana next month. Within thirty seconds, my phone rings to life. “Oh my God, why didn’t you call me?”
I groan, hearing my best friend’s voice who’s probably just recently heard that Drew and I broke up. “It’s been…a day.”
