“I… I don’t know what you mean! Of course, I can.”
We all pause. My eyes go from Haddy with the red face to squirmy, stinky Baby Lucy to Gavin biting the inside of his cheek.
“Oh my gosh, you can’t!” I shout before breaking into laughter. “You’re just like your dad, and you were trying to hide it from us!”
“It’s not fair–something happened!” Haddy cries. “It’s like her poops changed, and now they smell sobad!”
“That’s true.” Owen nods, pressing his lips together sympathetically. “It’s like one month, there’s not much smell, then the next…whoa.”
“Right?” Haddy’s voice is high, and she points at Owen as if for backup. “Owen knows!”
My phone is in my hand, and my thumbs are flying. “I can’t wait to share this with the cousins.”
“NO!” Haddy jumps over to grab my phone. “Donotshare this with anybody. I’m working on it. For now, Gavin is helping me.”
“Do you need to borrow a snorkel mask?” I snatch my phone back from her. “Your dad has one.”
“Oh, Haddy.” Mav shakes his head, giving her a disappointed look.
We’re all giggling when my phone lights up in my hand. My stomach drops, and I almost toss it onto the couch when I read the screen.
Baxter
Hey Genie-girl. How’s my favorite dogstress?
“Gina?” Haddy steps forward to hold my arm. “Are you okay?”
Heather steps up, reaching for my free hand. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“What is it?” Owen is at my side, putting his large hand on my back.
“It’s…” I hold out the phone to Haddy, and her face instantly reddens with anger.
“What the…hay?” She edits her response, taking my phone. “You didn’t block him?”
“Block who?” Heather looks between us, and Owen’s brow lowers.
“I didn’t even think about it.” My voice is quiet. “He ghosted me. Why would I need to block him?”
“Because he’s a rat…” Haddy steps closer, lowering her voice, “B-A-S-T-A-R-D. Now block him this instant.”
“What’s a bastard?” Maddie frowns up at us, and Haddy hiccups a breath.
“Whaaat?” My cousin’s voice hits a weird pitch.
I lean forward. “She’s seven, Haddy, she knows how to spell.”
“It’s a grown-up word for a bad person,” Haddy says, petting her head and giving me the eye.
I shake my head. “Does blocking him make it seem like he hurt me? I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.”
“He did hurt you. Give it to me. I’ll block him for you.”
“Who ishe?” Owen’s voice is growly impatience.
“Baxter Babbit.” Haddy reads the screen. “He’s as idiotic as his name. Nobody calls youGenie, and what’s adogstress?”
“He always thought he was funny.”
