Page 50 of SEAL's Doorstep Baby
My eyes can barely stay open by the time the final trembles stop. I am exhausted and the weariness is bone deep at this point.
He never answered…I realize right before I drift off to sleep.He never told me what position I really fill in his life.What does ‘everything’ really mean?
Chapter eighteen
ALLISON
“Idon’t know what to do about either of them.”
In an amusing twist of Jacob’s experience with my laundry, I am bringing his laundry to him when I hear his voice and I guess correctly that he is on a call. The only question now is who he is talking to. I am just about to turn back around when I hear my name.
“If you ask me, it’s not much of a problem. Naomi and Allison, you’re spoiled for choices, in my opinion.”
Micky’s voice confirms that it's him talking to Jacob.
I know I should go back to my room right now or just walk in with Jacob’s laundry and alert him to my presence, but my curiosity has gotten the best of me. I can’t go back and not know exactly what Jacob thinks about his future with me, and what he thinks about Naomi, too.
Fear shoots through me. As terrible as it is to eavesdrop, I haven’t been able to work up the nerve to talk about where I stand with Jacob again since that day I was in a bad mood andwe were intimate. I’ve been too afraid to spoil everything. But now, every day, I worry that Naomi will show up with Jacob on her arm and a ring on her finger.
He wouldn’t do that to you,a voice a hell of a lot like Emily’s says in my head.
Then a real voice speaks, so I lean in and listen to that one, instead. Pete’s voice cuts through the conversation, clear and direct.
“That’s why we don’t listen to your opinion often Micky. You will have to tell her eventually, Chief, and if you ask me, it’s best to get it out of the way at once. I don’t envy you at all.”
I wait to hear Jacob speak so I can get a better idea of what they're discussing.
“Naomi is wonderful. Honestly she was one of the best parts of my life before coming back home, and she keeps saying she wants to fight for me, but…” He tells them, and right when I’m about to hear the conclusion of his statement, there is a crash from Maddie's direction.
What are you doing, Maddie?
I have to beat a hasty retreat before Jacob comes out of his room to investigate the noise, so I amble back awkwardly with my arms full of laundry.
“What did you do?” I ask Maddie when I am with her again, and I see the victim of her ever-improving aim. She has knocked a ballerina figurine paperweight off its perch on a shelf and it is now lying in pieces.
I am finishing cleaning it up when Jacob arrives. “Everything okay, here?”
“Yeah. Sure.” I am nervous—a spillover from my attempt at covert information gathering, making me unsure of how much I should reveal. “Maddie decided that she wants to be a sniper in the future. She threw this clear across the room and managedto hit it on the shelf.” I tell him, hoping that his perceptiveness doesn’t lead to omniscience.
Instead of him giving her a stern talking to, Jacob gives Maddie a high five which she thankfully doesn’t return. “That’s my girl!” he praises.
I tsk. “It’s rotten behavior, Jacob. It could have hurt her if it landed differently, you know? You shouldn’t be encouraging it.”
“Oh, sorry. That’s bad, Maddie. We shouldn’t do that.” His backpedaling is cute because of how comical it is. It almost draws a laugh out of me, but then I remember his conversation from earlier, and the laughter dies in my throat.
“Yes. I’m sure she has learnt her lesson now.” My dry reply is just a little bit weary.
“Sure has. Maddie will be on her best behavior from now on. Won’t you Maddie?”
* * *
Maddie did not remain on her best behavior for long. The moment she saw Naomi step into the house, she refused to stop crying. I know it is wrong of me to feel even the littlest bit happy about that, but I can’t help myself, and when she finally falls into a fitful sleep, I finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Jacob introduces us to each other, but the exchange feels less like a greeting and more like two opponents sizing each other up before battle. Her gray eyes are sending a level stare my way and it is one I return just as easily.
“This is Allison, Maddie’s godmother, and… my… co-parent.”
I glance at him.
