by DD Prince
My eyes are big.
Wow, Meryl.
“How much peach schnapps did she drink?”
Ally laughs. “Maybe three. She was drinking water before they left, so I don’t think Alphahole’s brother took advantage of her. She seemed to have all her faculties.”
“Hm.” I’m looking in my closet at my limited wardrobe. You’ve been to these conference things before, right? I’m only there for two days. How should I dress?”
“Business casual is advisable for daytime. You’re going to be doing a lot of walking and a lot of sitting through presentations and panels so be comfortable. But bring business professional with you just in case there’s some impromptu meeting. Bring business fun, too. A cocktail dress leaning toward professional in case you go to any of the banquets. You excited about the trip?”
I shrug. “I would be, but I don’t know much about what I’m in for. I know I’m flying out with Aiden tomorrow night. I got an itinerary Friday morning at the office and it said he, I, and a guy from marketing in New York would all go together. Tuesday, we check out exhibits and go to a couple presentations. There’s a dinner Tuesday night. Wednesday looks sort of the same. Some keynotes and meet and greets. An open floor thing full of exhibits. Mr. C wants us to have a booth and do some panels next year, so this year is about fact-finding. We fly home Thursday morning. I just hope he holds it together enough to be professional. After last night, I have my doubts. I’m thinking I should talk to him today and make sure things are clear about the trip.”
“At least there’s a third,” Ally says.
I nod in agreement. “Thank God. Though I don’t know how he’s gonna be with me. His name is Kieran and I’ve exchanged a few emails with him and we’ve been cc’d on a few together. I get the impression he doesn’t like that I’m here. I found out he wasn’t doing something he was supposed to be doing with retargeting our Google ads and he’s kind of in the hot seat with Mr. C. Our jobs are similar and me being hired suggests he wasn’t doing enough.”
She rolls her eyes. “CC is growing. That’s all your being hired indicates. He should be grateful he doesn’t have to do it all alone.”
I shrug and sip my coffee and go back to my sorting. “Where’s all my underwear?”
I’m staring at the empty hamper. I’ve got a few piles on the floor, sorted by color. There’s one pair of undies here. The pair I wore last night. I haven’t done laundry since I got here, and I’ve been here a week.
“Huh?” Ally asks.
“I’ve been here a week. I change my underwear every day, of course, so why are there zero dirty pairs other than what I had on last night?”
Her eyes go wide. “Um… that’s…” She doesn’t finish.
No. He wouldn’t.
I feel my face transform into absolute murder. I stomp out to the living room. Aiden is sitting there on the red sofa, in a black wife beater and basketball shorts, laptop open to his email and he’s got the television on. Some sports commentary.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I snap.
His eyes hit mine. Blank.
I repeat myself. “Are you, YOU kidding me right now?”
“What are you talking about?” He is emotionless as he replies.
“My laundry. I’m doing my laundry for tomorrow and some of it’s missing. That’s really low, Aiden. And disgusting. You need your head examined.”
Lines appear over the bridge of his nose as he frowns at me.
“Explain yourself.”
I fold my arms across my chest and shift my weight to one foot. “Really? You’re unbelievable.”
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talkin’ about,” he snaps.
“You’re telling me you didn’t go into my laundry hamper and steal all my underwear? You’re seriously telling me that?”
Wow. Oscar-worthy. He actually looks surprised.
There’s a knock on the door.
We all look that way.
Aiden gets up from the couch and heads to the door, looking frazzled.
He opens it and there’s a tall guy in golf clothes standing with a toddler in his arms.
“Bro, thanks a mill…”
“Unco Aye-ben!” The tot launches himself at Aiden. Aiden catches him and ruffles his hair. The guy in golf clothes passes a blue backpack.
“I’ll be back around eight.”
“Sounds good.”
“You need the car seat?”
“Actually, good idea just in case.”
“Follow me down? I’m running late. Didn’t realize how long it takes to get out the door until my wife can’t get outta bed to help. Never again will I complain about how long it takes her to get out the door with this guy. This bedrest bs is gonna kill me.” He ruffles his son’s blond hair.
The little boy waves at me and Ally.
“Your hair is pink!” he announces. “My baby sister’s room is pink! She’s not bor-en yet.”
“Do you like pink?” Ally asks.
“Yu huh!” The boy nods enthusiastically. “It’s pretty. You pretty too.” The little guy looks at me. “You very pretty even with your not-pink hair.”
I smile at him. What a little sweetie.
Aiden flexes his jaw. “Braeden, that’s Ally and that’s Carly.”
The little guy waves. He’s absolutely adorable. Big brown eyes (kind of like Aiden’s) and blond hair. Chubby cheeks. Chubby knees. He’s dressed in short overalls and a blue t-shirt with blue light-up runners on his feet. It dawns that he’s the baby in a few of the framed photos on the wall. Only, now he’s bigger.
Aiden grabs a set of keys, still hanging onto the little toddler who’s perched on his hip. He drops the backpack on the breakfast bar and heads out. The other guy waves at us. “Dirk. Aiden’s brother-in-law. Sorry to be rude, ladies. Gotta run.” He waves and shuts the door.
The door clicks shut, and I whirl around and look at Ally.
“Do you think he took my underwear?”
“He looked as shocked as we were.”
“But, he’s a rat-bastard.”
She shakes her head side to side, looking contemplative, like she’s weighing it all out.
“Ugh,” I grunt.
“Okay, emergency underwear shopping needed?”
“No. I have another dozen pairs with me. But, still…What the heck?”
***
It’s two hours later and I’m on the way to the laundry room across the hall and I hear peals of laughter from the living room.
“Car—ee!” The little guy spots me.
He and Aiden are wrestling on the rug. Spiderman is playing on the big screen TV.
I wave at him and try to keep going to my room.
“I Piderman. What super hero are you, Car-ee?” He’s in the mouth of the hallway now.
“Um, Wonderwoman, I guess.”
“Nope. I fink Back Wi-ow.”
“I’m not familiar with her,” I admit.
“Avengers,” Aiden calls out, not looking at me. ”Braeden likes Marvel. You’re talkin’ DC.”
“Huh?”
“DC Comics. Different universe. Never mind,” he mumbles.
“Car-ee, do you like Piderman?”
“I do,” I tell him.
I head to the kitchen to get some water and see that he’s washed some dishes. They’re sitting there in the drying rack. He washed some dishes and a pot. I blink in surprise.
“We had dinner. Did you had dinner?” Braeden asks.
“No, not yet,” I say. “I’m gonna go out soon and grab something. What did you guys have?”
“Crap cheese and macamoni,” Braeden informs. “Unco Ay-ben maked it. He puts ketchup on it. The crap cheese and macamoni and ketchup were in my nap pack. Mommy doesn’t make the box one, but Unco Ay-ben knows it’s my favorite. Uncle Auz too. I see Unco Auz lotsa. But Unco Ay-ben lives in New Ork. So, you live here with Unco Ay-ben? Did you get married to him? I’m two and close to free. How many are you?”
A
iden snickers, his eyes are still on the screen.
Braeden is in the kitchen area with me now.
“I’m twenty-three and no. I’m not married. I work with your uncles and I moved here from another city so your grandpa’s company has let me live here for a little while. I’m going to get my own apartment soon.”
He waves his little hand. “My Mommy says it’s good to live with someone. Not to be lonely. We all wowwy bout Unco Ay-ben being lonely. My Mommy has to stay in bed cuzza the baby in her tummy. Her tummy is gi-or-ness.”
I give a hesitant smile.
“Unco Ay-ben, can we have some paw-corn for the movie? We have two more Piderman ones to watch. You should watch them with us Car-ee.”
“Got no popcorn, pal,” Aiden says. “Wanna go to the store and get some junk food? I’ll pause the movie.”
“Car-ee wanna come to the store?” the little guy asks.
“No thanks, sweetie. I’m kind of busy. But, if your Uncle Aiden says it’s okay, I have some cupcakes in my room. They’re really good. I could send one out for you for your movie, then you don’t have to go all the way to the store.”
“It’s alright. We’ll go to the store,” Aiden says, not making eye contact.
“No,” Braeden replies. “I want cupcakes.” He grabs my hand and pulls me toward my bedroom.
“Only if your uncle says it’s okay.”
“Braed’s the boss,” Aiden says.
Braeden looks up at me. “I the boss.”
I giggle and let him lead me into my room.
I grab the tote of cupcakes to show him, and he claps his hands.
“Those look nummy. I gots appo juice boxes and milk juice boxes in the fidge from my nap pack.”
This little boy is absolutely adorable. I let him lead me, me carrying the cupcakes, back to the kitchen.
I get a plate out of the cupboard and put one on it for him.
“Unco Ay-ben, too,” Braeden requests.
“It’s okay, pal. I’m not hungry.”
“But, they look so nummy. You have to twy it.” He puts his hands on his hips and glares at Aiden as if to say he has to try the spinach or broccoli on the plate.
“Alright, you’re the boss.” Aiden’s eyes are on Spiderman and Maryjane in a clinch.
“I the boss,” Braeden announces.
I hand him a plate and he carefully takes it to Aiden and then comes back for his own. I bring him a milk juice box to the coffee table.
“I wanted appo.” he scrunches his face.
“Apple’s good,” I say, “If you really want it, I’ll swap, but milk was meant to go with cupcakes.”
“Weally?”
I nod. “It tastes oh so good that way. It makes the milk almost like a milkshake. And milk is going to make you big and strong.”
“I’m gonna be big with musoes like my uncos. Daddy doesn’t got big musoes. Only little ones. But my uncos got big musoes. Have you seen them?”
I nod. “Uh, yeah. Anyway, enjoy that cupcake and your movie. I gotta---”
“Watch too.”
“Thanks, but I’ve got a couple things to do. Enjoy your movie.”
He makes a little pouty face.
“Pal. Come here,” Aiden says, and Braeden hops up onto the couch on top of him. Aiden grunts. I think Braeden may have hopped onto Aiden’s man-parts. Yikes.
Aiden lifts the plate with the cupcake and passes it.
“You eat yours, too.”
Aiden takes a big bite at the same time Braeden does.
“Mmm,” Braeden says. “You make good cupcakes, Car-ee.”
“Ally with the pink hair made those.”
“Oh. Can you make cupcakes?”
“Yep. But probably not as good as those.”
“They’re weally good,” Braeden says.
Aiden’s eating his, his eyes on the screen.
Braeden takes a finger and dips it into his icing and smears the icing on Aiden’s nose and then cackles with laughter.
Aiden gives a mock angry face and growls “Now I gotta eat yer nose!”
“Noooo!” Braeden squeals with joy.
I take that opportunity to dash back to my room and shut the door.
***
It’s about nine o’clock and I’m running on empty. Two cupcakes and one coffee all day long just aren’t gonna cut it.
I decide to go out to find food somewhere local. I’ve got my keys, phone, and shoes, and I see Aiden and Braeden crashed on the couch, a Spiderman movie playing. Aiden is on his back, out. Braeden is sleeping on Aiden’s chest, holding a Winnie the Pooh blanket. Thumb in his mouth.
And… boom. My ovaries explode.
I tiptoe out, closing the door carefully, then locking it.
When I get to the lobby, I spot Seth at the desk. Does this guy have a life outside this place?
He sees me and gets this creepy look on his face.
“Carly.”
“Seth.” I keep going past his desk.
“How’s it going?” he calls out.
“Fine,” I keep walking.
“Covering all weekend. Worked twelve days in a row. One of the guys quit. Waitin’ for my relief. He’s late.”
“Oh. Sorry to hear that. Hope you get some time off soon. Gotta run.” I’m out the door. I want away from him as fast as possible.
He’s out there with me.
“You’re with Aiden Carmichael? That’s too bad.”
I stop in front of the building.
“Why is that?”
“It’s bad because I wanted to ask you out. Guess you’d never go for a guy like me if you’ve got a guy like that, though, right?”
I give him a tight smile. “I’m not so plastic. If I’m with someone, it’s because I like them. But, I’m not available, so it’s kind of moot.”
“And you think that’s a likeable guy? He’s hardly here. He was one of the first to move in after the building was built, but he’s only here every couple months. When he is, it’s a different woman all the time. More than a few have left the place in tears. Two just this week in fact. Heartbreaker. Must be somethin’ special about you if you’ve managed to tie him down. Are you two tied or is it open so you can both see other people?” He eyes me from head to toe again in a very oily way.
“Um, no offence, but none of your business. I gotta go. Have a good night.” I wave and jog across the road and head right. I do not like the vibe of that guy. At all.
Two blocks away, I find a sub shop. I go in and sit and eat a sandwich and take my time finishing. I wait until after eleven o’clock before I head back.
I’m relieved to see a different guy at the security desk.
He gives me a professional nod when I flash my key at him on my way to the elevator.
***
I open the apartment door quietly and the light from the TV is providing a bit of light and Braeden is still on the couch, under his Pooh blanket, but Aiden is pacing in the dark, his phone to his ear.
I close it quietly and twist the lock.
He’s talking. “Okay, fuck. Yeah, it’s fine. I’ll keep him. Keep me posted, okay? She’s only a couple weeks early so it’s gonna be okay, right?”
I’m about to slip by him to my room as he hasn’t even looked at me, but I stop.
“Okay, yeah. Bye.”
He looks at me.
“My sister went into labor.”
“Oh no.”
“She’s been on bed rest. Had a rough pregnancy. But her water broke tonight, so Dirk had to run her to the hospital. They can’t get ahold of their nanny. My brother and father are there. My mother…she… she can’t watch him.”
“Go. I’ll stay with Braeden,” I say immediately.
He looks at me with shock.
“Go. Be with your family. I’ll keep Braeden.”
“You’re sure?”
I nod. “If you want me to.”
“If you could, yeah…”
“Go. I’ll say a prayer that she and
the baby are both okay.”
He grabs his keys from the table and heads out the door. He stops at the door. “Thanks, Pea… Thanks, Carly.”
He’s gone.
I lock the door.
Braeden sits up. “Where am I?”
“Hey buddy.”
“Where’s Unco Ay-ben?”
“He’ll be back soon. Close your eyes and go back to sleep, honey. It’s late.”
“Am I having a sleepover?”
“I think so.”
“Otay.” He yawns and closes his eyes. I grab a bigger blanket from the linen shelves in the laundry room, and put one end over him. I curl up on the other end of the couch, putting my phone in front of me and pulling the other end over me.
I guess I fall asleep. I wake up to a text alert at 5:58. It’s from a number not in my phone.
“It’s Aiden. Baby girl is here. Five pounds, two ounces. Healthy. I’ll be home soon to get him and drop him to the hosp. His nanny is meeting us there.”
“Okay. Congrats.”
I close my eyes again.
I wake up to the blanket both Braeden and I are sharing moving.
Aiden is standing there, lifting Braeden into his arms. “Hey pal.”
“Unco Ay-ben. Is it morning? Where did you went?” Braeden rubs his eyes.
“Guess what?”
“What?”
“Your baby sister was just born. I was at the hospital with Mommy and Daddy.”
“She was?” The little guy’s face is alight with amazement.
“Yep. She’s gorgeous. Tiny and perfect. So much hair. You wanna go see her?”
The little guy nods his head. “I gots to go pee first.”
“Go ahead.” He sets him down on the floor.
I rub my eyes and sit, pulling my feet under me.
He sits for a second.
“Thanks for that,” he says, and his hand briefly lands on my leg. He squeezes and lets go.
“You’re welcome.”
“I’ll see you at the office. You get enough sleep?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Bring your luggage to work. Limo picks us up at the office at 5:15.”
“Okay.”
He gets up. His eyes are on me. Mine are locked with his.
We’re not saying anything.
“What was that last night about your laundry?”