Winnie's little finger traces the outline of the baby and then looks up at Lauren. “How did it get in there?”
Lauren looks up at me, then at Rhett who is already laughing.
“God put it there,” I tell her. “Remember at Sunday school?”
Her face pinches together. “Oh yeah. They say when a mommy and a daddy love each other they can get a baby.”
“Exactly.” Lauren lets out a sigh of relief.
“That’s why my mommy and daddy only had me. They didn’t have any love left.” She pulls away. “Can I go play outside?”
We are momentarily stunned. Lauren and Rhett because it’s awkward, me because well, she isn’t wrong.
“Sure. Don’t go far.”
“I was afraid we were going to have to have the sex talk and my niece would never look at me the same way again,” Lauren says once Winnie is out the door.
“I can hardly look at the two of you as it is. Also, Winnie loved the apartment.”
“Wait, really?” Lauren grabs my shoulders. “You’re staying?”
“Only for the summer,” I remind her and let her hug me.
“For the summer,” she repeats. “When can you move in?”
“I'm notmovingin. I'm just bringing my stuff from here and putting it over there.”
Her eyes narrow. “You know what I mean.”
“Tomorrow, I guess.”
She squeals and hugs me again. “I can’t believe it.”
“Me either,” I admit, unsure if I know what I am getting myself into.
11
With our few bags and extra groceries sent with us by Lauren, Winnie and I drive the minivan over to the apartment.
“Alright Win. You ready?” I ask over my shoulder as we sit in the parking lot.
The morning sunlight comes peeking in over the building, streaking through the clouds. We made the best of our last night at Lauren’s by staying up way too late, eating too much ice cream and watching whatever Winnie picked on Netflix. Now she yawns from the back seat as she grabs her blanket and nods.
I’m pulling open the back trunk when I hear the footsteps approaching.
“Hey Dorada.” Tanner’s eyes sparkle, then he looks down at Winnie. “Mornin’ Fred.”
“Morning Tanny.” She giggles, pink cheeked.
“You’ve been talking to Ms. Dollie, haven’t you?” He chuckles and begins grabbing bags out of the car. “I’ve been assigned move-in duties.”
“By who?” I grab a bag too, and he laughs.
“Dollie. Rhett. Your sister. But I promise I was already planning on helping.”
“I don’t have much to bring in,” I admit. “I would have packed more if I realized I was going to stay longer than a week.”
“Next time.” He winks and turns, following Winnie upstairs.
