“Jasper! What did you do?” Olly whisper-shouts.
I bat my eyelashes at Olly.
With Mazie in his lap, Spencer reaches into the bag and pulls out the outfit I got her. “Really, Jasper? A trench coat?”
“Hey, it gets cold. Babies need trench coats.”
“No, no, they don’t,” Olly says, narrowing his eyes at me.
“There’s more,” I say, clueing him in to keep digging. He then pulls out a pair of sunglasses and a set of baby binoculars. Olly puts his head in his hands.
“What? It’s what every baby spy needs… an outfit.”
Spencer rolls his eyes. “That’s it. You two are working your shit out. You!” he says, pointing at me.
“Me?” I mouth.
“Yes, you. Can you come here for a minute?”
I turn to look at Olly. Surely my own boyfriend would save me in my moment of desperation. But oh, how mistaken I am.
“You’re on your own for this one,” he says, slapping me on the back.Rude.
“I think I’m in trouble.”
Olly snorts. “I think you’re right.”
I grudgingly make my way over to Spencer.
“Please take a seat,” he says, pulling out a chair and pushing me into it. Spencer takes Mazie’s bouncy seat, setting it in front of me on the table before sitting her in it.
“Now, you two are going to sit here until you figure your shit out.” Spencer holds his hands over Mazie’s ears when he says the word shit.
I scoff.
Hetsksback at me. “If you want some of the pie Olly dropped off earlier, you’re gonna have to learn how to be in the same room together.,” Spencer says, walking away… leaving me alone with her.
She thinks she’s so cute, with her cute little ringlets and her cute little chubby little cheeks. Did she just wink? I swear to God, she just winked at me. I look around the room. Someone has to have seen that. Olly’s just laughing his ass off, and Spencer just rolls his eyes before giving me the ‘I’m watching you’ fingers.
I turn back to Mazie, who I’m certain is narrowing her eyes at me. Fine. I can be the bigger person. “So, listen, I will stop thinking you are a spy baby if you promise me that if youarea spy baby, you will tell me first. And if you happen to know if Sasquatches are real, you will give me some kind of sign.”
Mazie’s face starts to turn a shade of bright red. What is happening? Oh, God, is she choking? I go to check her mouth for food when she lets out the loudest, stinkiest fart possible.
Huh, I’m taking that as I sign. I knew it!
“Thank you,” I say to her. “Just for that, I think you are very cute and sweet… and fucking adorable. How could anyone not love you?” Mazie giggles and smiles. I can’t help but to do the same. She reaches out with grabby hands. “You want me to hold you? I mean, you’re kind of pushing it, but fine.”
Pulling Mazie out of the bouncy chair, I set her on my lap. Then she goes and rests her head on my chest, and I’m a goner.
“So have you guys made up?” Olly says, taking a seat next to me. “Yeah, she shared some top-secret information, so we’re good. So good, I may even spoil her from time to time.”
“I think she’s going to get spoiled a lot,” Olly agrees.
“Oh, can we buy her really loud toys? You know, the kind that don’t have off switches?”
“Yes, yes, we can,” Olly says, causing me to laugh. “Can I ask you something? And I’m just wondering; this isn’t, like, you know, a thing. But seriously, do you want kids someday?”
I look down at the little girl in my arms. “I used to think I didn’t.” Then I look up and lock eyes with a completely different future. “But I think I might.”
