“That’s great, Michelle. I’m happy for you.” I rub my hands on my thighs, ready to bolt. “I hope it all works out.”
I’m about to jump out of my seat when there is a soft knock at the door. Michelle waves at a woman who I assume is the receptionist. She comes in carrying a cardboard drink caddy with two coffees on it.
“Gennie, thank you.” Michelle introduces me to the receptionist, who is enormously pregnant. “I’d like you to meet Vito Bianchi.”
I shake her hand and look at her face. “Are you by any chance related to the fire chief?”
Gennie grins. “I’m married to his oldest, Rory.” She points to her belly. “His.”
Something about the fact that Gennie is related to my chief sets me at ease. I feel a lot less out of place and under the microscope, but the chief’s daughter-in-law leaves and I’m again alone with Michelle.
“I got you the usual,” Michelle says, shoving a paper cup across her desk at me. “But you don’t have to drink it.”
I grab the cup and take a sip. I look down at the plastic lid as I mutter, “You remember how I like my coffee after all this time.”
Michelle nods. “I loved you, Vito. And I still want the best for you, even if we’ve both moved on.” She sips her drink, then continues. “I like Eden a lot,” she says. “The admissions counselor called me this morning to see how the classroom visit went. I think Eden has a bright future.”
I shrug, not sure I like the idea of my new girlfriend following in the footsteps of my ex-wife. “Yeah. Eden’s great,” I say guardedly.
Michelle looks thoughtful as she finally lays it all out on the table. “Eden is actually the reason I wanted to talk to you.”
I meet her eyes over my hot coffee and brace myself. I wish I had some antacid. If it’s a Michelle idea, I know it’s going to burn.
I check the time and sigh. “All right,” I say, resigned to listening.
That’s all I have to do.
Then, like she said, I can block her and leave the past where it belongs.
14
EDEN
Today might just bethe worst day of my life.
I stagger into the kitchenette of the hotel, feeling like I got hit by a truck. Sharp knocking at the door nearly takes the breath from my lungs as I run to the door to open it before whoever it is brings the two seconds of peace I’ve had to a miserable end.
I don’t even check the peephole, just yank open the door and squint into the sunlight.
“Today’s the day.” My aunt Shirley is beaming, her arms wide open.
I step outside into the sunlight and let the door close behind me. I wince at the noise and squint, a thousand little needles pricking behind my eyes.
“I know, but it couldn’t be off to a worse start.” I lean into Aunt Shirley’s arms and rest my head against her shoulder.
“Uh-oh.” Sassy steps out of our hug and peers into my face like she can read the bad news in my eyes. “Spill it, kiddo. What happened? Isn’t today the closing? Did the seller back out?”
I shake my head. “No, thank goodness. No. Everything is happening.” I rub my forehead and sigh. “It’s Juniper. She’s got to be cutting another tooth or something.” I tell my aunt about one of the worst nights we’ve had. “She had a low fever yesterday around lunch, but she didn’t seem bothered until about midnight. She woke me up screaming bloody murder. I mean, bloody murder.”
I tell her how I couldn’t calm Junie down. I was so worried about noise traveling through the thin walls of the hotel and waking every single guest that I put her in the car and tried to calm her while keeping the screaming inside the confines of my vehicle. That didn’t work, so I started driving.
“I actually got stopped by a Star Falls officer for sitting on the side of the road with my car idling,” I say, shaking my head. “He was pretty sympathetic when I explained what was going on and showed him my hotel key and stuff.” I rub my eyes.
Junie finally crashed at four in the morning, but then she woke up at seven super cranky and whiny. I fed her breakfast and just got her back down for what I hope is a decent nap.
Aunt Sassy’s right on time, so it’s got to be around eleven. “I don’t think I slept more than two hours last night.” I frown and rub my burning eyes. “I just hope this isn’t a sign of things to come.”
Sassy crosses her arms over her chest and shakes her head. A soft cloud of her perfume greets me, and it’s hard not to smile. She smells like home, like a grandma. “If anything,” she says, “this is a clear sign it’s long past time you get that baby into your own house.” She looks truly undone and starts talking really fast. “Honey, damn it. You should have called me. Even in the middle of the night, I could have come by and helped.”
