“Signed up for it?” He glances toward the bottom of the stairs. “I doubt it. Em mentioned something about it being mandatory, something about compensation.” He smacks me over the arm. “Do what you can, dude. She’s really losing her mind.” He takes off, and I can’t stop thinking aboutit.
The Videns aremypeople. The thought they signed up for anything so sinister is enough to piss me off, but the thought of them being forced into something so wicked makes me want to snap my biological father’s head right off. And knowing that demon—another, far more sinister head would grow back right in itsplace.
I take a step back and take in the sweet sound of silence coming from the bedroom. My hand touches over the door, and I say a short prayer over my family, for the new year, for the distant future, and everything in between. Something tells me there aren’t enough prayers that will ever make a difference with this fine mess I’min.
* * *
The next day,bothof my parents are knocked out in bed. It turns out my mother’s “allergies” have morphed into an all-out flu. Giselle got wind of it and swung by with enough groceries to feed half theisland.
“I’m going to cook and clean, and make sure they both feel their very best by this time nextyear!”
I take in poor innocent G with the face of Emerson Kragger and the mind of a kindergartner and shake my head. “They should be back in shape by the weekend. But who knows, with all that pampering you’re about to do, they might be well by nightfall. Do us both a favor and wash your hands up to your elbows every time you leave their room. Don’t touch your nose, eyes, or mouth, and whatever you do, don’t kiss Ellis. That could prove deadly for everyone involved.” Him especially if I catch them in the act. I caught them in a far more nefarious act a few months back and nearly bashed his skull in. I still don’t feel too bad about that. At any given time, Ellis Harrison is higher than ten hippies. For the life of me I can’t wrap my head around the fact my sister has chosen him of all people to fall in lovewith.
Her eyes expand the size of dinner plates. “Oh, I won’t. I’ve been dead myself, and I don’t think Ellis would like that very much.” She leans in with her hand to her mouth. “They don’t light it up nearly as much as Ellis would carefor.”
“Nice.” I think. “I’ll see you later. I’d better check on Skyla and the kids, make sure they didn’t catch anything.” I take off and head for the Landon house. There’s no way in hell I’m even mentioning the fact my parents are all but on their deathbeds. Skyla will have my head on a platter. I’m sure at this point it would take very little to land methere.
All I can think about on the drive over is how in the hell to get our marriage back on track. An unfamiliar car is pulled high in the driveway as if it belongs here. A small blue Corolla with a clown’s head in the rearview window and I almost want to laugh. Skyla used to detest the sight of those haunted looking phantasms, but not anymore thanks to my father, Barron, the properone.
But who would be visiting with that ode to Skyla’s old fear? I suppose it could be coincidental, but I’ve learned long ago that not many things around hereare.
“Knock, knock,” I say as I let myself in with a key this time, old school. The scents of onions and celery and something thicker collide in an appetizing crescendo, and if I didn’t know better, it smells a lot like the chicken soup Giselle was startingon.
Melissa whizzes by me with a smirk. “You have guts to show your face around here.” She jogs up the stairs, taking them two bytwo.
“Happy New Year to you, too!” I call afterher.
Mia bops down the hall and takes a bouncing step back when she spots me. “You’re here!” she squeals. “Skyla, he’s here! You can cut his balls off just like you promised!” She races into the family room ahead of me, and I groan at the thought of having yet another body part theoretically on the choppingblock.
“Happy New Year,” I call out but am met with a few meagergrunts.
Both Lizbeth and Tad are at the table. Lizbeth is feeding Misty while Tad ignores the entire population by burying his head in a newspaper. Brielle is huddled with Skyla, each with a baby on their lap, and a dark-haired girl keeps her head bowed while looking at herlaptop.
Skyla glances back, and her eyes light up the room. Skyla’s eyes have a way of making the reality around you feel like a lie. I would have sworn there was enough light in this room until she looked this way and flooded the house with the brightness of two suns. “Your mother did this.” She glances at the dark-haired girl. “Make sure you get two. I don’t want the boys sharing any more germs than they haveto.”
The boys are red-faced and squirming, choking as they struggle to cry, and my heart shreds to pieces knowing they’re not feeling well. Tiny mucus bubbles ooze from their nostrils, and Bree periodically suctions it out with a blue nasalaspirator.
“Come here.” I scoop Barron from her and hold him close as he swipes at my face a few good times as if trying to slap me. He just might be. I wouldn’t blame him if he were. I’ve been thinking of doing the same thing to myselflately.
The dark-haired girl looks up, and it’s Chloe. For a moment I’m stunned into submission—not sure why. Chloe is suddenly Skyla’s new shadow. I don’t see why I shouldn’t expect to see her at the Landonhouse.
“Stellar start to the new year, Oliver.” She shakes her head as if she were just as pissed at me as Skyla. “I’ll order three since it’s on the Oliver dime. Nothing but the best for your boys,Skyla.”
Skyla looks up and nods as if answering every errant question misfiring in my mind. “I always thought I had thebest.”
Bree takes Nathan from her and starts in on a manic rocking session. “Make sure to get the Snotty Totty. It’s the only sure-fire way you’ll ever get some sleepagain.”
“He’s sleeping just fine,” Skyla quips as she glances myway.
Lizbeth swoops over. “She means you, Skyla.” She leans in toward Chloe’s laptop. “Believe me, those are the best tools of the trade. And they’re so easy to use!” She turns to me and shakes her head. “You just plug the tip into the boys’ nostrils and gently suction all of the mucus right on out!” She snaps her fingers as if to exemplify its ease ofuse.
“Isn’t that what Bree was just doing?” I want nothing but the best for my boys just as much as—apparentlyChloedoes, but I’m also far more wary of falling into the consumer trap set out by the baby industry. Half that stuff we’ve got just seems like an overpriced rip-off. I lean in to get a look at the price tag on one of those fancy nose pumps. $49.99.
Shit. I hope this isn’t Skyla trying to stick it to me by way of my credit card. And, judging by the boys, somehow, I doubtthat.
“Oh, heavens no!” Lizbeth snatches the nasal aspirator right out of Brielle’s hand as if she were taking a loaded gun from her. “This is garbage is what it is. The Snotty Totty comes with a hose that you plug into their nostrils. You plug the other end right into your mouth, young man.” She taps her finger over my lips, and I’m suddenly uncomfortable on manylevels.
“So you physically suction the—junk out.” I’m afraid I know where my services will be needed in just a fewhours.
