AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I paused at the entrance to the attic. It was little more than a crawl space: dark and difficult to navigate. “You’re here early.”
Jake placed his hands on his hips. “Thought I’d get a jump start.”
“Everything okay?” I asked him, knowing he’d never say if it wasn’t.
“I thought physical labor would help me clear my head.”
Of the two of us, Jake was the one who worried the most about cash flow. He constantly checked his spreadsheets and made sure we had enough for the month.
“Makes sense.” I felt a little guilty that I was spending any time thinking of getting his sister naked again when he was worried about our business.
“Take these down.” Jake pushed a couple of smaller boxes toward Corey.
I pushed out thoughts of Hailey and got to work moving boxes. After a few trips, Corey was complaining about being thirsty, so I sent him to grab water bottles from the cooler in my truck. In the sewing room, I found Hailey on her knees, opening a box.
Her expression fell when she held up a baby outfit.
“Why does Nana have this?” Hailey asked Jake.
“Is that yours?” Jake asked her.
“I think so. It’s with a few baby pictures of us and a pair of knit booties.” Hailey handed him the photos.
They were pink, so it made sense they were hers and not Jake’s.
“Why didn’t Mom keep these?” Hailey’s anguished gaze settled on Jake, and it felt like I was intruding on a private family moment.
I set my boxes down, intending to leave and give them space.
Jake shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “I’m not sure, but we were born in town, so maybe Mom lived here with us.”
It was odd that those things were in Nana’s attic when she didn’t raise them as babies.
Hailey nodded and slowly lowered the pink dress and booties back into the box. “Yeah, maybe. I’ll have to ask her. There’s so much I don’t know.”
“Are you prepared for what she might say?”
The way their mom left them on Nana’s doorstep when they were six and twelve made me think that wasn’t the only time.
Hailey raised her brow. “You think Nana had a bigger hand in raising us?”
Jake shrugged. “I’m just saying I wouldn’t be surprised.”
An awkward silence fell over us.
“I’d better get more boxes.” Jake left the room, and I was positive he was fleeing the emotional moment.
I dropped down next to her. “You okay?”
Hailey nodded. “I don’t know. I guess I had this idea that Mom took care of us when we were babies. That she held us, rocked us, and cherished us. I don’t know why. It’s silly.” She smiled at me, but it was sad.
“She might have done that. But maybe she needed help. Babies are a lot of work.” I knew about that because when I helped Tiffany, we weren’t together. So, when it was my turn for visitation, I took care of Corey on my own. I didn’t have grandparents or a sitter around to help. It was just me, and I had to figure it out quickly.
Hailey let out a breath. “I’m sure you’re right.”
I could tell she hadn’t let the disappointment go. She had an idealized image of how things were when they were babies. She’d hoped that things were different at one time. I understood why her mind wanted to believe the best of her mom, even when she didn’t deserve it.
I’d let go of my parents’ expectations of me, or, at least, I think I did. But I wasn’t sure how to tell her to let go of her mom.
