Robin’s pleased with herself. I can tell by the shit-eating grin. “It was a selfish endeavor, my dear. This can be home away from home so you don’t have to hassle with daycare at least at first. Baby Fitzgerald can be right here with us all day.” Robin’s beaming. “Until he or she starts to move about, that is. After that, we’ll have to sort something else out.”
I’m standing in what used to be a huge storage closet in the shop, one that is directly to the right of my usual worktable. The reason I say it “used to be” is because Robin has cleaned it out completely, painted it a pale yellow color, added carpet, a portable crib, a portable changing table, and a dresser, Oh, and there’s her ornate wooden rocker I recognize from her house. Another change is the temperature in this room. It’s warm. Looking up, I see a shiny new piece of duct has been run into the room.
“Gus did that.” Robin points up at the vent. “He said it was too cold for our little one.”
The smile on my face won’t budge. “This is perfect.”
“I know.” Robin is still grinning like the cat who ate the canary. “And completely selfish, as I said.”
Glancing at the room again, I smirk. It was a rather selfish, yet ingenious, way of making sure I come back sooner than planned. She’s insisting I stay home with the baby after she, or he, is born, but I won’t be able to take an entire six weeks. “Great solution, my friend.” I wrap my arms around Robin and squeeze. “I’m just relieved the doctor said I could come back for half days.” I was going freaking stir-crazy at home all day long. Not that I wasn’t busy. I did as she asked. “The website is better.”
“You bet it’s better. Already had some orders come through.”
“Wow. That’s great.” It really is. “You’re now on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.”
“About that….” She side-eyes me. “I’m still gonna need you to take the lead on those. Me and social media don’t click.”
“I was thinking we could talk to Gus or maybe Hannah about doing some of that.” Gus is supposedly a tech genius, and our new hire, Hannah, is young and way savvier at that stuff than I am.
“We can talk to Hannah about it. Gus won’t touch it with a ten-foot pole.” Robin winks, then leans in closer and whispers, “Word to the wise. Hannah’s a bit flighty.”
“She’s sixteen. All sixteen-year-olds are flighty.” At least, that’s what I’ve heard.
“I’m just glad you’re back even for mornings only.” She points to my usual spot. “A new stool so you aren’t on your feet the entire time you’re here.”
“Thank you, Robin.”
“No.” She winks. “Thankyou.” Clapping her hands, she smiles. “Now that you’re here, I’m heading out for a little bit. I need a break from this place.” On her way out, she reminds me. “Everything ordered is done. All I need from you is to answer phones and twiddle your thumbs. Don’t try to carry anything.” She glares her warning. “I’ll be close, so call me if you need anything.” She waves as she steps out the front door. “Ta-ta. I’ll be back before you have to leave.”
“Sounds about right,” I mumble. She’s been avoiding spending any real time with me because she knows I want to pump her for information about Gus and his family. She’s pretty damn stealthy too. No matter. I’m going to get it out of her. When she least expects it, I’ll get her to spill the beans.
* * *
It’s takenme two weeks, but I’ve finally cornered the slippery little lady. We’re in the waiting room at my ob-gyn’s office. They said my doctor was running behind, which means Robin can’t just leave me here, so “Spill, woman.”
“Spill what?” My goodness, she’s good at acting coy.
“I want to hear about Gus, his family, andyou.”
“His family is very nice.”
“Uh-huh.” I give her my snarkiest look. “How did you meet them?” I’ll start there.
“Sunday brunch.”
“Sunday. Brunch?”
“His parents have brunch every Sunday.”
“Doyougo every Sunday?”
She shrugs.
No wonder I can never get her to do anything with me on Sunday mornings. She’s brunching with the Martin-Kowalski’s.
“Alright, start at the beginning. Tell me about the first brunch. You must have been so nervous.”
“I nearly pissed my pants when I saw their house.”
