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Lettie sits up. “Let me get this straight. You called an Uber the night before so he wouldn’t have to take you home… here… to your house.”
Following suit, I peel myself from the floor and sit with my legs crisscrossed. I take a deep breath. “What? He doesn’t know about Caleb, and I tried to tell him several times, but he was stroking me, caressing me, and making me feel like a woman. I didn’t want it to end.”
“Oh girl, he’s tasty. Those forearms. Yum.”
“I can’t keep Caleb a secret, but I can’t imagine how he’s going to react. When he found out my dad was the coach, it was like a bomb went off.”
“Maybe he won’t care.”
I huff, rolling eyes. “Right. Because every twenty-two-year-old hockey player wants to be tied down. Even if I didn’t have a toddler, why would he want to be with me?”
She stands and pulls me up, placing her hands on my shoulders. “Because you’re an incredible person. You have two jobs, go to class, the grocery, your drama practices, and you still find time to play with Caleb every night… except last night. But fair is fair. Caleb gets a sleepover. You get a sleepover.”
Caleb’s feet slap hurriedly against the floor and straight into my arms, giving me a monster hug. “I missed you, Mommy.”
“You, too. Did you have fun with Lettie?”
He gives a hand pump with a closed fist. “I beat her five times. She’s not good at growing her cherry trees.”
“I think it’s because you’re fantastic at counting. Now, go change into your school clothes and brush your teeth. I’ll be in there to check in five minutes. Mommy can’t be late for work.”
“Okay, Mommy.”
My IKEA dresser has an attached mirror, and photos of Caleb are tucked in the edges. Even though I have thousands of pictures on my phone, I like to see his sweet face everywhere I turn.
Lettie raps at my door and says, “You should wear your hair down more often.”
“How am I going to get my phone back?”
“I’ll call him and ask him when you can get it. Do you know his number?”
“Does anyone memorize phone numbers anymore? No.”
“Then you’ll have to go see him.” She wiggles her brows. “I have class. Let me know what happens.”
“I will. Thanks for staying with Caleb last night.”
The absence of my phone becomes an ever-increasing nuisance, hindering my ability to stay connected. Deep down, there’s a small part of me that hopes Reed will stroll into the café, fresh from his intense hockey practice. Yet, with every person who entered through the door, I instinctively dart my eyes towards it, only to be met with disappointment. I realize that his schedule must be just as demanding as mine, if not more so.
One would assume that having my father as Reed's coach would grant me some insight into his schedule, but surprisingly, that isn’t the case. I have deliberately distanced myself from anything related to hockey until this very moment, which means I’m blissfully unaware of Reed's day-to-day activities.
My father's daily routine is filled to the brim with various commitments, ranging from training sessions to practices. The players could be engrossed in a rigorous training session, studying film footage, engaging in weightlifting exercises, or participating in a multitude of other activities that contribute to their athletic prowess. The fact that I no longer possess a phone heightens my frustration, as I cannot simply reach out to my dad and inquire about the hockey schedule. Plus, if he found out that Reed and I had sex, he would kill him.
I borrow the landline in the café manager’s office to call my dad, needing to let him know that my phone is missing.
“Hey, Dad.”
“You’re finally calling me back. Wait, whose phone are you calling me from?”
“The café. Listen, I just wanted to let you know that I left my phone in class, and I’m trying to track it down. Hopefully, I’ll have it back tonight.”
“Okay, good. I don’t like you being without the ability to call. What if something happens to Caleb?” He pauses, and I know he’s right. I have to get my phone back even if it means being embarrassed or telling Reed about Caleb. “I called earlier because the traveling dinosaur exhibit will be in Cincinnati tonight. I don’t get much time with Caleb during the season, so I want to take him. We’ll spend the night at Great Moose Lodge and play in the indoor waterpark. I’ll have him back by noon.”
Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I say, “He’ll love it. What time will you pick him up?”
“We have a film session at two, so I’ll swing by afterward. I have a surprise for you too—a night of pampering yourself with a glass of wine.”
“Mad Dog 20/20 isn’t wine.” I laugh because that’s all I can afford.
