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Letting her have a head start, I follow her to my bedroom. Maybe my mother’s right, after all. I need to pull myself together. For the sake of my husband. For the sake of my baby. And for the sake of my family.
Dressed in some old sweats and a hoodie, just about the only things that fit my still overweight body, I relax in the living room on the couch, too spooked to use the recliner on account of my horrible dream. I want to get rid of it.
My mother still asleep and Isa napping, Nurse Marley attacks the laundry. One load after another. We haven’t done any laundry since Rosita left us and that was almost two weeks ago, so you can only imagine. By the third load, she’s run out of detergent. She wants to run to Whole Foods to get a baby-safe, allergen-free brand that’s sold there. And while she’s at the health-conscious supermarket, she’ll pick up more formula and some other bare necessities. Using the credit card Ned gave her.
She leaves the baby monitor on the coffee table in the living room. Shortly after she drives off, the intercom buzzes. I’m not expecting anyone. Maybe it’s a delivery from Amazon? Or Instacart? Nurse Marley generally shops online to save time and to not have to leave the house. I don’t recognize the khaki-green 4x4 at the gate on my phone’s surveillance app. Shoving myself off the couch, I walk stiffly to the intercom by the front door to find out who’s there.
No answer. A frightening thought flashes into my head. I shudder.
What if it’s that armed and dangerous home invader who’s been terrorizing the Hollywood Hills? The one I heard about on the news last week attacked in broad daylight. To the best of my knowledge, they haven’t caught him. And didn’t they say neighbors saw the suspect drive off in a green Jeep?
Fear rushes over me.
I’m all alone with my baby.
TWENTY-FIVE
AVA
“Ava, open the gate!”
I instantly recognize the voice. With a mixture of relief and excitement, I press a button and let him in.
“Gabe, what are you doing here?” I ask, so happy to see him I give him a hug.
He’s dressed in work clothes. His so different from Ned’s formal suits. A pair of faded jeans, a dark-navy blazer, a soft white T-shirt, and Adidas.
“I was in the neighborhood. I had a dentist appointment—a routine checkup.”
He steps inside the house. In one hand is a Starbucks bag, and in the other a stack of envelopes held together by a rubber band. He smiles brightly, revealing a perfect set of pearly-white teeth. And that adorable dimple punctuating one cheek.
“I didn’t recognize your car. I thought you drove a blue Bronco.”
“I did, but it was costing me a fortune with the crazy price of gas these days. So, I traded it in.”
“For the Jeep?”
“Yeah, it’s a Wrangler hybrid.”
“Nice.” Ned wouldn’t drive one…even over my dead body.
“And it’s baby friendly. So whenever you’re ready, I’ll take you and Isa for a spin.”
I give a hopeful smile. “That would be awesome.”
Gabe holds up the bag. “I brought you something from Starbucks. An iced mocha Frappuccino…with almond milk.”
“Oh my goodness, thank you. That’s so thoughtful of you. I haven’t had Starbucks in ages.” The last time was three months ago with Nurse Marley, I think to myself. “How did you remember my favorite drink?”
“The time you, Ned, and I went to the Starbucks near our office…” He hedges. “After you had that mishap and fell into his arms.”
That life-changing day. For better and for worse. “You have an incredible memory, Gabe.”
“Yeah, it’s my lawyer brain. I remember the weirdest things…like you’re lactose intolerant.”
I can’t help but smile.
“I also brought your mail in,” he says, handing me the stack as he accompanies me to the kitchen. While he sets the coffee drinks on the island, one for me, one for him, I quickly thumb through the envelopes and flyers. Lots of junk mail and offers for Visa cards. Several local real estate offerings. Still no birth certificate. I thought it would be here by now; it’s been over a week. But there is one piece of mail that captures my attention and makes my stomach bubble. An eight-by-eleven manila envelope from a company called Endeavor. But I can’t open it here and let Gabe see it. Or see me react to it. I put it with the rest of the mail on the counter and then join Gabe at the island. He tosses me a straw and we simultaneously take sips of our iced coffee beverages.
