by Emily Camp
“All right then,” Parker turned back to Bree with a smile on his face. “You’re staying here.” At the end of his sentence, Bailey began again, crying, big tears falling from her eyes.
“You don’t understand. She can go on all night.”
“And between the four of us, so can we.” Carly stood, looping her arm around Bree’s shoulders. As good as this made Bree feel, she knew none of them had any idea what they were agreeing to.
Chapter Sixteen
The cries were deafening, and they only made Bree feel helpless. A quick Google search gave them some ideas that only helped for a few minutes each. Parker lounged on the recliner, his eyes barely open. Carly curled up beside him, mumbling something that couldn’t be heard over the loud screams.
Spencer sat on the edge of the sofa, his elbows on the knees of his dark jeans, phone cradled in hand, casting a light on his expressionless face. This was new to Bree. It wasn’t even that she knew him well, but she’d never seen him without a cocky, sideways grin.
Bree popped the bottle out of the microwave, hoping this time Bailey would take it. She eased Bailey off her shoulder and settled her into the crook of her arm. At first, Bailey pulled the bottle in her mouth greedily, her cheeks scarlet and her round blue eyes wet and blinking up at Bree. Never had she felt so helpless. She wanted to be able to make Bailey better.
The quiet only lasted a couple suckles before Bailey yanked away from the nipple and belted out again. Bree held back her own tears, pressing her lips hard between her teeth.
“I’ll take her.” Spencer stood, sliding his phone into his back pocket and striding toward her.
She held Bailey a little tighter and her heart hammered in her chest. Was he serious? She looked toward Parker and Carly, both their eyes closed now. Bree didn’t know how that was humanly possible with how loud the apartment was.
“Um,” she bounced as she pulled Bailey up to her shoulder again.
“I haven’t taken my turn yet,” Spencer shrugged.
Bree laughed at this as Bailey’s cries went a little quieter. “I don’t know.”
“At least let me try.” He reached out. The strong smell of cologne hit her. It smelled like what Garrett wore, only stronger. Bree hesitated only for a minute before letting go of Bailey.
Spencer was awkward at first, and Bree held her breath while it took him a few minutes to adjust Bailey against his skinny chest. He stood ramrod still, his elbows sticking out like arrows, his hands large on her back. Bailey’s screams lightened to a small hiccup. She rooted her head over his button up shirt.
“You can breathe.” Bree watched, holding the bottle in her hand, ready to take her back the minute she screamed again.
Spencer tilted his head down to look at Bailey, who, to Bree’s surprise, didn’t get loud again. Her little baby whimpers going until they tapered off.
Bree’s jaw dropped. Spencer had done absolutely nothing but stand there with her. All the shuffling and rocking and bouncing Bree, Carly, and Parker had done the last few hours and none of it soothed her.
Spencer looked up at Bree, his hazel eyes wide in just as much surprise as Bree.
“What just happened?” he whispered.
Bree shrugged. “I’ve only seen her calm that fast with Garrett.”
“What do we do now?” His voice still in a whisper.
“We wait.” She looked down at the bottle, not wanting it to go to waste. Though she wasn’t sure how long the sleep would last, she needed to keep it close.
Spencer nodded a stiff nod. Bree completely understood. Afraid any slight movement would start it up again. “How long?”
“I don’t know.” She didn’t know, but she also didn’t know what else to say to him as she stood awkward and uncomfortable, fully aware of her rumpled up clothes, makeupless face and messy hair. A year ago, she would have died being this close to a cute boy and looking like this.
“Now we have proof, all females love me.” He looked up at her, a sideways smile and perfect teeth.
Bree groaned, finally setting the bottle down beside her and relaxing her shoulders. “You did not just say that.”
“What?”
“She’s a baby.” Though Bree couldn’t deny any girl at any age would think Spencer was gorgeous, until he opened his mouth.
Spencer finally moved, fidgeting his shoulders.
“Want me to take her back?” Bree stepped closer to him. Everything about this felt odd. The lights were dim from trying to calm her. The apartment quiet, sans a soft snore coming from Carly.
“I’m okay.” He started to slide toward the sofa. When Bailey let out a small whimper, he paused, stiffening his shoulders again until she stilled. Then he proceeded. Easing down, on the floor, his back propped up against the sofa.
He looked up at Bree with an accomplished smile. “There. Much better.”
***
Bree sat up when she heard the constant dinging of the doorbell. She looked around the room. It looked more like they’d been up partying all night than fussing with a baby.
Carly and Parker were in the oversized recliner, she in a ball on his lap, his head tilted back and mouth wide open. Her small frame swam in one of Parker’s tees. His hand rested on her knee, his other arm was wrapped completely around her.
Where was Bailey? Bree pushed herself up, her skin making a peeling noise as it separated from the leather cushion. Whoever was at the door was definitely not going away.
That was when she almost tripped over Spencer’s feet. He was sitting with his back against the couch, Bailey asleep on his chest. One hand rested on her back and the other arm cradled under her bottom, holding her up.
If the person at the door wasn’t so persistent, she’d try to get a picture of it.
“Go away.” Carly mumbled into Parker’s chest as she waved her hand like she was swatting a fly.
“Light weights,” Bree said.
Three different moans came out at the same time.
His bright blue eyes locked with hers the minute she opened the door. He blinked then looked down at her body, making her highly aware she was in one of Parker’s tee shirts and a pair of shorts hidden under the hem. His light brown hair stood up in tufts and his eyes were red. The navy sky told her it was still night, but how late was it? What made this more embarrassing was his mom standing next to him, one hand on Garrett’s elbow as if pulling his arm away from the doorbell and her other hand on her chest. Her eyes were pink and glossy and Bree felt horrible for not calling her.
“Where is she?” Garrett was out of breath when he spoke, stretching his neck out glancing above her head.
“She’s finally sleeping.” Bree stepped out of the way.
Garrett barged in, not even a ‘Hey Bree sorry I didn’t call you back’.
His mom stepped in behind him.
“I’m sorry, I should have called you.” The guilt settled in Bree’s gut like a rock.
“Get your hands off my daughter.” Garrett took long, quick strides toward Spencer. Bree and Robin hurried to him.
“Garrett,” Robin’s voice was soft but firm in her calm way she always reprimanded her children.
“We just got her to sleep, man.” Spencer grumbled his eyes cracked, but not open.
“Garrett.” Bree grabbed his elbow.
“What the heck, Bree?” Garrett pulled his shoulders back making him look bigger. “You leave me this message to call you about Bailey and when I do, you don’t answer. I call your sister and she hasn’t seen you. I called your brother,” he glared Parker’s way, “and he didn’t answer either.”
“I kept my phone with me for an hour after I called you.” Her voice came out choppy. “We were a little busy.”
Robin knelt beside Spencer. Bree could only faintly hear her calm words as she introduced herself to him as Bailey’s grandma.
“You could have called me.” Robin stood with Bailey against her now. How she’d managed that without waking her was a mystery to Bree.
Spencer stood, stretching his arms above his head. Garrett stared, his nostrils flared and fists balled at his sides.
“She’s warm.” Robin whispered, cradling Bailey’s head to her chest.
Bree turned to the clock glowing on the stove. “It is about time for another dose of medicine.”
“How long has she been like this? Did you take her temperature?” Robin took the few steps toward her.
“It was low after the Tylenol.” Parker now spoke from his perch beneath Carly, who still had yet to move.
Robin looked around the room. “We should take it again.”
The mess Bree took in around her, made her cheeks warm. Robin was always so neat and tidy. Right now, the apartment looked like a college dorm, only the empty cans were soda not beer. The cups were ceramic mugs that contained small traces of coffee and hot chocolate. It had been a long night for all of them and cleaning up after themselves was the last thing on their minds.
“In the kitchen.” Parker maneuvered Carly off his lap. She whined, but curled back up in her ball against the back of the recliner. Parker made his way to the small counter, rooting through the remains of the packages left behind from his drug store trip.
Bailey stirred making small whimpers. Besides Carly, who still slept, the room silenced and watched, waiting for the bomb to go off. Three. Two. One. The screams, piercing at first, penetrating not only Bree’s ears, but her heart also. The fact that there was nothing she could do only made her feel worse. Robin bounced and ‘shhhed,’ as Garrett made his way to her.
“Sweetie,” Robin whispered, her mouth close to Bailey’s head. Garrett stood over his mom’s shoulder. In a quick thought, one that she regretted as soon as it entered her mind, she’d thought that maybe Bailey would be better off living with Garrett all the time. He may not know what to do, but he had his mom to help.
***
A few hours later, after Spencer retreated to the guest bedroom and Parker carried Carly to his, Bree, Garrett, and Robin were left awkwardly in the living area. That was, if they’d had the chance to be awkward with one another, between feeding, rocking, and soothing Bailey. If they would have offered to take her, she probably would have let them. But she was glad they didn’t.
Garrett slept sitting up, with Bailey against his chest. His large hand over her pink sleeper, her fuzzy head on his shoulder. Bree tried not to stare too long at the bar stool. She should be sleeping, too, but every little noise, even if it was just a whimper or a suckle, coming from Bailey woke her.
“How are you holding up?” Robin eased down beside her.
Bree startled when Parker’s automatic coffee maker began to percolate. Robin, too. They shared a quick giggle at the fright. But not too loud.
“I have absolutely no clue what I’m doing.” Bree tucked her hands beneath her chin, turning her attention away from Garrett and Bailey and how peacefully they fit together. Father and daughter. Maybe it was the difference between his upbringing and hers. She was surrounded by nothing but dysfunction, so maybe that’s why Bailey couldn’t function around her.
“No one does.” Robin’s voice was soft. She turned watching Garrett.
“Garrett seems to.”
Robin turned back to Bree, “Oh, dear, don’t let him fool you. He’s so worried about you. He wants you to think he’s got everything under control, so you don’t have to.”
Bree’s eyes were raw from being up all night, and her mind was almost to the point of delirium.
“You should get some sleep, too.” Robin’s voice brought Bree out of her daze. It was the first time Bree’d seen her with her hair disheveled and clothes rumpled. “While she’s sleeping. It’s going to be a long day.”
The sunlight peeked through the window next to her, filling the room with gold haze.
The alarm sounded loud from down the hall a steady buzz.
Bree laughed, looking down at her lap, a fuzzy blanket wrapped around her bare legs. “What’s the point now?”
“You can’t go on no sleep.”
“Oh, I think I got about an hour before you and Garrett showed up.”
Robin sighed, placing a hand on Bree’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. Your message scared us.”
The loud buzzing stopped, and she hoped that Parker wasn’t one of those people who slammed the snooze button multiple times before getting out of bed. She knew from experience Carly was.
“Then why didn’t he call me sooner?” She picked at the fuzz balls on the blanket.
Robin didn’t speak for a minute. She looked over at Garrett. Bree didn’t like the fact she wasn’t answering right away. Robin always had an answer. “You need to talk to him about that.”
Bree picked at the blanket again.
“No matter what happens between you two, we all still love you and Bailey. You need to get along.”
“I know. That’s all my parents did, fight. Using me against one another like some kind of game piece.” Bree’s voice cracked as she watched Garrett, Bailey slowly rising and falling as his chest moved from breathing.
“I know, honey,” Robin whispered.
“I wish my mom was like you.” Bree swiped the lone tear before it could fall.
“I may not have given birth to you, or known you the first fifteen years of your life, but I do think of you as a daughter. Even if you aren’t, even if you and Garrett don’t get married someday, you’ll always be part of our family.”
Bree stared at Garrett. If only things were different. If only they were older, maybe. “The school counselor thinks I should consider leaving Cambrooke High and take classes online.”
“Is that what you want?”
What she wanted was for Robin to tell her what to do. She always seemed to know.
“I don’t know.” Bree shrugged. “I mean, I’m not doing any good at school, but wouldn’t that just be admitting failure, like I can’t do it?”
“No, sweetie, you need to do what’s right for you and Bailey, not what’s going to make you look better to everyone else. There are several families that do online school, even homeschool, at the church. It’s what works best for them and their family.”
“Good morning.” Parker came shuffling out of the bedroom, his hair in a million different directions and scratching his stomach through his white tee shirt.
“Does it count as morning if you haven’t been to sleep?” Bree placed her elbow on the counter and her hand behind her ear.
Robin stood and stretched with a yawn. “I know I’m ready for a nap.”
A nap? Wouldn’t that be nice? Bree stared at Garrett, wishing for the hundredth time that night that things were different. But they weren’t.
Chapter Seventeen
Bree didn’t speak in her dazed state. She wasn’t sure what to say to Garrett as he drove.
Robin volunteered to keep Bailey so Bree could go home and grab some clothes. She’d call Garrett off school. Bree hadn’t been. She wondered if her mom even cared if she went.
She watched the neighborhood pass by. Small houses with sagging porches and neglected yards. Large houses with chipping paint and barking dogs tied to chains. When they turned down her street and she spotted the giant, silver truck parked by her house, Bree felt the bile rise from her stomach.
Garrett slowed, he turned toward her, his eyes red rimmed and a hat perched on his messy hair. “You okay?”
“It’s Lloyd.” Bree flexed her hands into fists on her thighs. Why did she have him at their home? Most of the money Bree made babysitting went to helping with the bills. Her mom had no right to have him there even if Bree wasn’t home.
She jumped when Garrett touched her knee. Something that should comfort her, only made her sad.
“You still want to go in? I’ll come with you.” His voice was soft, and she almost forgot all the drama between them lately.
Turning to look at the truck again, she said, “No.”
“You can shower at my house and wear one of my tee shirts. Isaac probably h
as some sweat pants that’ll fit you.”
A pang hit Bree’s chest. It felt too much like before and it wasn’t before. “Okay.” She bit her bottom lip, tears burned her eyes.
Here Garrett’s mom was taking care of the baby, so Bree could go all the way home for a shower, and her mom was there sneaking around with the ex-boyfriend Bree was trying to keep her away from.
“I don’t trust him,” she said
Garrett turned around at the end of the deteriorating cul-de-sac. “I know.”
She waited from him to say ‘I told you not to move in with her,’ but he was silent, taking his hand off her leg long enough to shift. She was surprised when he returned it to her knee when done. She let him touch her. It comforted her. She reached down and placed her palm over his hand. He turned to her with a small smile only for a second before looking back at the road.
When he reached the end of her street, he surprised her by not turning toward his house.
“What?”
“My mom has Bailey.” He stared ahead.
“Yeah? But she expects us back soon.”
“She’ll understand.”
“Understand what? We’re constantly patrolled so we don’t, um ...” She looked behind her, not used to Bailey not being in the car, as if she would understand anyway.
“Do it?” He smirked, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.
Bree crossed her arms. “Yeah. Everyone seems to think we don’t have any self-control.”
“She’ll probably just fall asleep with Bailey, won’t even know we’re gone.”
“We can’t just leave our sick baby all day.” She tucked her fallen hair behind her ear. She cringed at how greasy it felt between her fingers.
“It’s not going to be all day, maybe an hour at the most. We need it.”
She looked back out the window and in the smallest voice she said, “But we aren’t a we.”
She didn’t know if he heard her. She guessed not because he didn’t comment.
***
The day was warm with a breeze that kept it from being too hot. Bree held her sweat shirt tight around her as she walked toward the lake. With it being the middle of an autumn weekday, there wasn’t a crowd. She bit her bottom lip, watching the waves ripple across the surface. Too many memories filled this place. When she was a girl, her dad would bring her to the lake for the day, making sand castles and swimming. Before he met his current wife. Carly and her, sunbathing thirteen-year-olds who wanted to be twenty, boy watching. Then with Garrett the summer before Bailey. When they were first falling for one another. She and Carly would sneak out with Colten and Garrett. Seemed like a life time ago. She’d wake up in the morning, eager to hear from him, go to bed at night thinking about him.