“Areyou sure you don’t mind?” Peyton asked, eyeing me as she packed Keely’s diaper bag.
“As much as I love the kiddie pool, I need to get out,” I said, bouncing Keely in my arms while Peyton packed her stroller as if we were never coming back. “A nice long evening walk would be good for the both of us. Right, girlie pie?”
Keely squealed in my arms, flashing me a wide grin as she kicked against my stomach. I loved playing with her whenever I came to visit, but now that I was here for a while and she was used to me, I looked forward to her baby giggles every morning and how she’d squeal at the sight of me when I’d come upstairs.
She was a joy and a bright spot in this very confusing summer. Basking in Keely’s sweet innocence took my mind off all the uncertainty waiting for me back in Brooklyn.
“Mike is out for the night, so we’ll take a walk and give you and Jake a little time to yourselves.” I set Keely down in the stroller and strapped her in. “I’ll text before I come in, in case you’re enjoying the alone time a little too much.”
Peyton pursed her lips as she opened the door for us. “She’s already in her PJs. If you get her to doze off, she can go right into her crib.”
“And you packed all this if she’s just going to bed when she gets home?”
“You never know. My mother always says you can’t leave anything home, even if it’s a short trip.”
“And you listened to her?” I sucked in an exaggerated gasp. “Oh man, the heat is getting to you, isn’t it?”
Peyton kissed Keely’s cheek as I made my way out the door, carefully maneuvering the stroller down the steps.
The sun was setting into a pretty twilight. I’d take a nice stroll around the neighborhood and head home, hopefully tiring us both out.
“Aunt Claudia needs some air, babe. How about you?” She smiled when I tickled her neck, and she let go of a loud yawn before she nestled her head against the stuffed animal in her hands.
“Bailing on me already?” I chuckled as I grasped on to the stroller handle and made my way down the block. Once again, it was just me and my thoughts. Maybe I’d come up with a plan for my life by the time I made it back to Peyton’s front porch, but all this time to think hadn’t netted out to any type of resolution so far.
Maybe I could be their live-in babysitter. I’d have a few years before Keely started pre-kindergarten and kept the same school hours as her mom. I wheeled the stroller past all the spacious homes that, after a few blocks, started looking exactly the same, other than the varying distances between them. The sky turned a darker blue as I continued, still without a single cloud—aside from the one that had been lingering directly over my head since I’d arrived.
My loud sigh echoed on the quiet street, my only reply from the universe.
“Something wrong, sweetheart?”
I swiveled my head to a familiar, gravelly voice. I recognized Jude’s father as he waved to me from his front porch.
“Hey there. George, right?” I asked as I turned the stroller around and headed in his direction.
“Good memory. And you’re Claudia.” His smile widened as I came closer.
“I am,” I said, pulling the carriage up to his front steps and setting the brake on the back wheel. Keely hadn’t stirred or made a peep for two blocks and was officially out cold. Her perfect bow lips were parted as she took deep, openmouthed breaths. I smoothed the wayward brown curl off her forehead and smiled at her sweet sigh.
“To sleep that peacefully,” I whispered. “It’s been long enough to be a fuzzy memory,” I mused and took a seat on the bottom steps.
“I can relate to that,” George agreed and took a long sip from the silver can in his hand. “I’d love a long, dreamless sleep. Want one?” He shifted the can in his hand to show me the label. “It’s one of those flavored alcoholic seltzers because my therapist says they don’t have a lot of sugar. They’re mostly terrible but decent enough to pretend it’s a real drink.” He motioned to the cooler next to him. “I feel rude not bringing it to you, but by the time I make it over there—”
“Don’t be silly.” I climbed up the steps. “Thank you for the offer. Want another one?”
“I’m not supposed to, but I haven’t had the chance to have a drink with a pretty lady in a long time. Jude can gripe when he gets home if he chooses to count the damn things.”
“Fair enough,” I said and lifted the cover on the cooler. “Does raspberry or lemon matter?”
“No, honey. Unfortunately, it doesn’t.”
I snickered as I dug out two frosty cans, glancing over at the carriage before I took the chair next to George.
“Cheers,” I said as I tapped my can to his.
“Cheers, indeed.”
“This is a beautiful house,” I said as I swept my gaze along the closed-in porch. “I’d love sitting out here every day.”
