“My family doctor gave me information on Dr.Hartford.I still need to call and make an appointment with him.I planned on doing that today.”
He grunted in approval.“All the old ladies go to him, and I’ve met him myself.I think you’ll like him.”He reached over and squeezed her hand.“We’ll figure this out.I promise.Just remember that I’ve got your back through all of this.”He got to his feet.“Will you let me know when you have an appointment?”
“Of course.”She got up and followed him to the door.
“Let me give you my number."She handed her phone over so he could enter his number, then sent himself a message to get her number."If you needanything, let me know.”
“Thank you.I’ll keep that in mind.”She locked the door behind him and returned to her recliner.Her brain was spinning with all the things they’d discussed.Could Darren really be right?Would Kylie be okay with this and love Sadie’s baby because it was a part of Darren?Would moving across town be far enough to avoid running into Jed or Kylie all the time?How would each of them treat her when they ran into her?Would they be mean to her?Pretend to be nice to her?Or ignore her completely?
Only time would tell.
* * *
Sadie
Sadie stood in front of the bathroom mirror, pulling her long blonde hair into a messy bun as she got ready for work.She still had a little over an hour before she needed to leave and before Willa would be there to sit with Oliver.While she was adding eyeliner and mascara, she listened to Oliver playing with his toys in the bathtub.He was making shooting noises and pretending one of his boats was sinking.
“Swim!Swim little fishies!The shark is going to eat you up!”The blue and white plastic shark he was using to scoop up the floating fish had a handle in place of a tail that he squeezed to open the shark’s mouth, making it possible for it to “eat” the fish.
Knock.Knock.Knock.
She turned her head toward the sound coming from her living room.Was someone at the door?
Knock.Knock.Knock.
She heard it again."I'll be right back.I’m going to see who that is, and when I come back, it’ll be time to get out.Okay?”
“Aww.I’m having fun.Do I have to get out?”His wet hair was sticking up everywhere.His grumpy frown was adorable, but it wouldn’t change her mind.
"Yes.You will have to get out."She partially shut the door, leaving it open enough to hear if he called out to her or if, God forbid, he fell in the tub.Checking through the peephole, she groaned.“You have got to be shitting me,” she whispered to herself under her breath.She was not in the mood to deal with this right now.Damn it.She unlocked the door and pulled it open.“Kylie?Can I help you?”
“I was hoping you had a few minutes to talk?”Kylie offered a small smile.She was bundled in a burgundy wool coat and a white, matching cap and glove set.
“Sure.Come in and close the door behind you.I need to help Oliver out of the tub.”Sadie didn’t care if Kylie came in or not, but assumed she would.
She entered the bathroom to find her nephew in a heated debate, which she assumed was the four fish arguing over which of them was the fastest.“Come on, buddy.Let’s dry you off.”
“Oh, man.”He pulled the plug on the tub, allowing the water to drain, and stood up.She scooped him up in a towel and quickly wiped him down.When she was finished, she wrapped the towel around him and steered him to his room.She pulled a set of pajamas from his drawer and told him to put the clothes on.“When you’re finished dressing, can you please play in your room for a little bit?I have to talk to someone for a minute.”
“Who was at the door?”he asked from under his shirt.His head popped through first, then each of his hands popped out of his sleeves.
“Kylie.”
“Who’s that?”he asked as he put his underwear on.
“Kylie is Darren’s,” what did she call the woman?She wasn’t about to explain a throuple to a five-year-old.“She’s his old lady.”
“Oh.”Oliver couldn't care less, having moved on to digging his dinosaurs out of his toy box.
When she returned to the living room/kitchen area, she found Kylie standing by her laptop, holding her notebook where she’d written down the addresses to the houses she was interested in.It pissed her off to find the other woman snooping through her things.How dare she come into her home and think it was okay?“My underwear drawer is back there in case you want to check that out, too.”She hitched her thumb toward the hall.
Kylie ignored Sadie’s sarcasm.“Are you really planning on moving?”She sounded a little pissed when she asked.
“I was thinking about it.”Sadie crossed her arms over her stomach.
“Why would you move?”
“Oh, I don’t know.I thought maybe I would be doing you a favor, so you won’t have to bump into me on the street, pretending to be okay with me carrying your man’s baby.Or seeing me walking around town with his child.I didn’t think you would want the constant reminder that this baby isn’t yours.”
