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“Syd? What are you doing in Maui?”
“I flew back with Ayesha and the boys.” She took the tablet to the living room and flopped down on the sofa. “So, what’s up? Are you in a tent?”
He tried to make it less obvious that he was searching behind her. They didn’t have much time, and he wanted to make sure he saw who he’d called to see.
“Yeah, it’s our current setup,” he said.
“Where are you?”
“Angola.”
“Doing what?”
He raised an eyebrow.
She laughed. “Just kidding. You know I had to ask. I want to make sure my man’s in a situation where he’ll be coming home.”
Based on the last conversation they’d had, which had technically been an argument, he would have never expected her to act this light and playful with him. Her betrayal still hurt, but this wasn’t the time to hash any of that out.
“What do you keep looking for?” she asked.
“We only have a little bit of time. I was hoping to see…everyone.”
Sydney’s expression changed. “Why? Did something happen? Are you afraid something’s going to happen?”
“Anything’s possible, Syd. I just want to make sure I see everyone.”
“Didn’t you see Ayesha and the boys when they dropped you off at the airstrip? Thanks for telling me you were leaving, by the way.”
“I figured, after our last conversation, you wouldn’t want to be there.”
She resettled in the chair. “Here’s what I don’t understand. You want a baby, right? I want you to do something less dangerous. I gave you your compromise.”
“That’s not a compromise. You’re still trying to control the situation.”
“That’s what Ayesha said.” She wrinkled her nose. “We stayed up late last night talking, and she said lack of control makes me uncomfortable and anxious. Which is why things didn’t work out with…never mind.”
She studied him.
He said nothing.
In no version of today was he going to talk about her secret relationship and the reasons it didn’t work out, and he for damn sure wouldn’t do that right now.
Theo screamed somewhere off-camera. The screaming then morphed into a combination of screams and giggles, and he pictured Ayesha blowing raspberries on Theo’s stomach, which she tended to do after a bath.
“Is that Theo?” He smiled so wide, he’d probably created a dimple in his cheek. “Those giggles, man.”
Sydney continued to study him. Then she stood, walked through the house, and when she appeared on screen again, it was with her head next to Theo’s on Ayesha’s bed. Theo’s neck was covered in baby powder, some in his hair, turning the dark curls gray. All he wore was a diaper while Ayesha applied baby lotion on his legs.
“Say ‘hi’ Theo,” Sydney said.
Theo looked at the screen, his expression blank.
“Hey, baby boy. It’s me.”
A broad smile spread across Theo’s face. “Joel!”
A mallet struck him in the ribcage. “Oh, my god. What’d you just call me?”
