Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Elijah

“Why are you searching for them, anyway?” Hank asked as he searched Amazon for the car paint kits. I was at Ma’s the day after my first visit to Hadley’s apartment. I had a feeling there’d be more visits in my future.

“My neighbor’s little girl actually likes playing with cars and shit. I told her about them, and she wanted one.” I shrugged casually. “So, I said I’d get her and her brother one.”

Ma poked her head out of the kitchen when she heard me. Hank’s eyes lifted from the laptop in his lap. He sat at his recliner. “Would this neighbor happen to be a woman?”

I groaned.  “It’s not like that.”

Hank smiled. “Hmm.”

“Am I going to have grandkids?” Ma asked, and I covered my eyes out of frustration. “How many does she have? Will she have more? I don’t like the thought of her not wanting more kids later since she already has two. Or is there more than two?”

How did asking about toy cars devolve so quickly?

“Ma! What in the hell are you going on about? It’s not like that.”

Ma scoffed and turned toward the kitchen.

“You’re buying her kids something,” Hank pointed out. “You always said you didn’t want kids despite your mother’s whining. Frankly, I didn’t even think you liked kids.”

“I don’t really, but Lucy’s not so bad. She’s lively like all kids, but something about her makes it easy for me to talk to her.”

“What about the other one?” Ma yelled

“Huh?”

“You mentioned a brother,” Ma reminded me.

“Oh,” I murmured. “He’s a baby. He does nothing but make weird noises.” And grab his mother’s shirt. I saw a lot of white creamy flesh, a lot of cleavage. So. Much. Cleavage. And a lot more was still hidden from view. Hank laughed. “What?”

“Babies are fun times.” He was messing with me. He had that shitty smirk going on. The one he always did when he was making fun of me for something I did as a kid. He jerked forward, clutching the laptop. “Wait! Is this the same neighbor that was having a baby and you delivered to the hospital?”

“Lucy’s a good kid, but I can’t talk to the baby yet.” I purposely ignored him.

“Why?” Ma asked. “Babies need to be spoken to just like adults do.”

“You sound like you’re planning on talking to him at some point,” Hank added.

“Well, yeah, I’ll talk to him like I do Lucy…eventually.”

Hank scratched his chin and frowned at me. “That’s not the way it works.”

“Leave him alone,” Ma said as she crossed her arms. “This is strange for you, Elijah. Do you plan on hanging around them a lot? Is there really nothing going on with you and the mom?”

“No.” I leaned back into the sofa cushion and sighed. “I don’t mind their company that’s all.”

Ma appeared thoughtful as she tilted her head to the side, slightly proud even as she grinned at me. “Then you must stop being afraid of the baby.”

The truth of her words filled me with dread. Icy fear slithered down my neck. Kids were obnoxious and babies whined all the time, but that wasn’t the only reason I didn’t mess with them. They were fragile, especially babies. I stayed clear of things that were breakable. Besides, I could admit to not being capable of taking care of another life. The thought terrified me. “I’m not going around the baby. He’s just too tiny.”

“You’ll be fine.” Ma arched one brow, amused.

“Yeah, I will since I won’t be touching him. Besides, Hadley’s protective. There’s no way she’ll ever ask me to hold him.” I preferred it that way, too. I didn’t want to hurt something so small.

Ma arched her brow. “Do you hear yourself?”

“I just ordered them,” Hank informed me.

“How much did they cost?” I asked. I had no intention of getting him to order the cars, but I should have known he’d take it upon himself.

“Don’t worry about it.”

I’d just have to stick some money in the sugar bowl before I left.

______

It was a few weeks later, after work on a Tuesday, when I saw Hadley, Lucy, and baby Eli again. I was parked at Walmart when they excitedly rushed by my truck heading for the entrance. It was almost dark out, but I recognized their voices as clear as day. The thought was mindboggling.

This was getting a little ridiculous. I hadn’t spoken to them since Lucy and my joint birthday when I had a slice of cake in their apartment. I had two cakes that day. One from Ma and one from Wendy and the guys so, it wasn’t like I needed another piece that day.

Why was I like that with them? I’d use any excuse to talk to them at that point.

I rubbed my forehead as I watched them. “Anything I want?” Lucy jumped up and down next to Hadley as they walked. Eli was swaddled in something placed against her chest. Whatever it was, covered both her shoulders and wrapped around her back. The guy seemed snug and comfortable.

They were too far away to make out the rest of the conversation, but they were definitely excited. Even Hadley appeared happy, a little carefree even, and her scrubs weren’t white. They were pink bottoms and a top with some sort of design.

This was the first time I’d run into them anywhere since the grocery store incident. I didn’t know we’d end up at the same place at the same time. If I went in, would she presume that I was a stalker? Why was that even a thought when I knew I wasn’t one? This mother and her kids were messing with my brain in an unusual way.

We were more or less friends, right? Not feeling weird about it, I would go in there like I came to do. It was a strange coincidence. I didn’t have to talk to them. I wouldn’t—just get in and get out like I always did.

Then again… Last week I debated knocking on Hadley’s door when the car paint kits came but stopped myself every time. I figured I’d see them. Eventually.

Only I wouldn’t talk to them that night. The plan was to get in and get out.