Rae nodded excitedly. “Oh! Charlotte could . . .”
Their voices dimmed as Sienna’s words resonated.All the things she must have on her mind.
I thought of Polly’s schedule. She was likely just trying to keep her head above water. I understood that families had important dates and times they needed to keep track of somewhere. As far as I was concerned, Polly was a super-hot, supermom of two, and it didn’t matter what I or anyone else thought. But I could imagine how it felt, having someone like me come in and feel like I’d judged how she kept it all together.
I snapped back to attention when I heard Rae and Sienna discussing some sort of meal schedule. These two quasi older sisters/aunts of mine would not be showing up at Polly Alberton’s house, meal schedule or otherwise.
“You two really don’t need to do that. She’s fine. She has a friend in town.”
“Then why all the secrecy?” Rae crossed her arms, looking put out that I’d shot down their plan. “No one knows anything about her, and there’s a big gate across the front of her driveway, which, is so tall you can barely see the house except for some big stone columns and the roof.”
Sienna and I slowly turned our heads toward Rae.
Rae simply looked down to examine her nails. “I might have done a ride-along with Jackson when he checked out her place.”
I sliced my hand through the air, causing both women to jump. I felt a little bad, but I was getting frustrated. “No more checking out her place. No welcome baskets. No meal schedules. She’s a private person. And she’s a doctor. Of course she doesn’t want her personal information spread around town.”
“What kind of doctor is she?” Naturally this is what Sienna picked up on out of everything I just said.
I blew out a breath, answering in a flat tone, “A pediatrician.”
“That’s great! We needed a good pediatrician in town!” Sienna exclaimed.
Rae looked side to side. “I thought you were going to bring kids along today?”
I sighed. “They were busy tonight. But they might come on Thursday.”
Rae clapped her hands as Sienna burst out, “Tell her to come along, too!”
Resigned, I replied, “If she’s on call, she won’t be able to come. But I guess I could ask.”
“Perfect!” Sienna beamed, then cupped her mouth and turned to the stage. “Ok everyone! Who’s ready for some warmups?”
Rae patted my back, then leaned in to whisper in my ear. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”
I shook my head.
I’d been bamboozled. Again.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
POLLY
Touch my wife again, and I’ll break every bone in your goddamn body.
Mariana Zapata, The Wall of Winnipeg and Me
“Mommy? Can Jace read me a bedtime story?”
Ryla was all tucked into bed, two bedtime stories already in, lights almost out. I’d come home this afternoon to find Jace, Ryla, and Max giggling in a cushion fort in the basement. Really, I couldn’t have been more surprised with how well this week had been going, with Jace and the kids at least. I’d come home to happy, smiling kids two days in a row.
If only this afternoon hadn’t been followed by another awkward night with Jace. When Jace came back from Young Wills practice, he’d given me a cautious wave, then walked to his room, no doubt feeling banished by the controlling momzilla.
“You know that’s not his job, sweetie.”
“Giselle read to me at night.”
“Only on the nights I wasn’t home.”
