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“I know. I can hear in your voice how tired you are. Maybe tomorrow?”
I thought about it. “I don’t think I can ask Mrs. Remington for another night. Plus, the whole strategy behind raising reasonable humans is actually spending some time with them, I think. Katie already throws a fit every time I take her next door.”
“Yeah,” Andie said, finally giving in. “Katie deserves some mom time.”
“You could come hang out with us soon?”
“Definitely! Pizza and Auntie Andie night? Stella too?”
“Of course! Let me know when you can. I understand if you’d rather get laid though, I know you’ve got those handy parents to babysit.”
She sighed. “Nah, we’d always rather hang out with you guys. You’re more fun.”
“If we’re more fun than getting laid, there’s a chance you’re doing it wrong. I’ll draw you a picture next time I see you.”
“Funny.”
I pulled into my driveway, ignoring the slightly stagnant feeling that always came over me as I did, like a form of deja vu that didn’t get realized. I’d lived in this house my entire life, with the exception of the four years I was away for school, the two years my rapidly fizzling marriage had lasted, and a few years while I tried to raise Katie on my own and help my failing parents. But my parents were gone, so now the house was mine.
“Night, friend,” I told Andie, idling in the driveway, switching off the light.
“Night. Love you.”
“Same.”
I switched off the truck, ending the call, and then did a quick sniff check. Pretty bad, but Mrs. Remington had definitely seen me at my worst, considering she’d lived next door my whole life. She’d witnessed my serious acne phase, the poorly planned perm phase, and also that phase we do not discuss. The one where I was in love with her son and made a complete fool of myself on the daily through two full years of high school.
But those days were over. We’d all moved on, and now she was the cheapest and most capable babysitter I had. And I needed to thank her, get Katie, and get us both to bed.
I locked the truck and headed to the doorstep next door, stamping my feet on the lawn as I went, in hopes of getting most of the forest debris and muck off before I tracked it up her steps.
“There you are,” Mrs. Remington cried, pulling the door open before I could knock.
“I’m so sorry to be late. Again.”
“Oh, honey, you know I don’t mind at all. You and Katie just make my days! Heaven knows Sam isn’t much fun these days.”
I could hear the television blaring from the front room where Mr. Remington liked to watch whatever sports were on, with little regard for team loyalty or preference. Unless it was hockey, of course. Then he only rooted for the Wombats. For good reason.
“Well, I sure appreciate your help. I wish there was some way I could repay you. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you.” It was the same conversation we had almost every time I picked Katie up. Only tonight, Mrs. Remington had a strange look on her face, a kind of half smile twinned with a little upturn of her rosy lips on one side. She looked uncertain, and devious.
“Actually, Clara...there is a little something I was hoping you’d be willing to do.”
I was exhausted, but I owed this woman. So. Much. “Sure,” I said, coaxing some energy into my voice. “What is it?”
“Just a little favor of your time is all.”
“I’m happy to help,” I told her.
She clapped her hands just as Katie appeared next to her, poking her blond head out to the side of Mrs. Remington’s legs. “Hi Mommy.”
“Hey Katie-bear. How was your night?”
“Good,” Katie smiled. “We made krispy treats.”
“Fun,” I said, reaching for the little girl who made the sun and moon rise and fall in my world. She moved into my arms and I hoisted her onto my hip.
“You smell poopy.”
