Chapter Seven
Emily
Later that Afternoon
“Hello?” I balance my cell phone between my shoulder and ear while retrieving a mug of coffee. As I blow on the steaming contents, the sweet, nutty aroma swirls through the room. I’m not a huge fan of coffee, but the long days on shift require some heavy reinforcements.
“Hey, Emily. It’s Iris Salisbury.”
“Iris, I’m sorry. I was distracted and didn’t look to see who was calling.” Iris is the supervisor for our county’s children’s division. As paramedics, we work closely with them. Not as closely as we work with the hospital of course, or the police, but we know all the workers by name.
“It’s fine.”
“Is there something we can help you with?” During the last call with the Children’s Division, we triaged three children at their office.
“Josiphine needs respite tonight for Steven.” Steven is an adorable but rambunctious three-year-old with an infectious grin and a never-ending battery.
“I realize it’s the last minute, but Ramona is at capacity and Josephine needs to go to the city.
Her father is in the hospital. Her mom stayed with Jonathan last night, but she needs to go home and get some sleep. ”
“Is Jonathan okay?” I take a sip of coffee and sigh. I needed that.
“He had heart surgery last night and made it through with no issues.”
“That’s wonderful news.” I deposit the mug on the counter and frown. “I hadn’t heard from anyone that he was having surgery.”
If we were anywhere else, there wouldn’t be an endless information dump between us, but everyone knows everyone, and there’s no such thing as a secret in Brookhaven.
Unless someone specifically says, ‘Do not share this information with anyone else,’ it’s common knowledge that people will talk. And not out of a need to gossip but because we care about each other.
Okay, when I kissed Spencer at Jolie’s Café, everyone talked about it.
And while it might’ve been because they cared about me, they also couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share what they saw.
Jake calling me a brat. Me kissing Spencer.
Jake stomping out of the café and leaving town.
The specific hue of crimson on my cheeks.
“It wasn’t planned.”
“Did we take him in?” Ryan and Kathy didn’t pass along any heart attack patients being transported to the hospital.
“No, he drove himself. He was having chest pains. You know Jonathan. He’s as stubborn as the day is long.”
“He knows better than to drive himself.” I shake my head as I retrieve my coffee from the counter. “Seconds count in those types of situations.” Luckily, he got to the hospital in time and is doing well. And no one else got hurt. “How’s Lexi?”
Iris’s daughter, Lexi, and her husband, Jerry, have been married for six years and recently moved to the city. High school sweetheart and the whole works. They were both in Kaleb and Jake’s class.
Don’t think about him.
Surprisingly, Iris doesn’t hear the low growl I give when Jake’s face pops into and back out of my head. Again.
“She’s fine. Giving me my first grandchild in seven months.”
“Wow. Congratulations.” After taking another drink, I set the mug down and retrieve a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
Dale stops on the threshold and raises an eyebrow. ‘Stay,’ I mouth and motion for him to come inside.
“So, could you watch Steven for the night? Josephine can pick him up in the morning after her mom gets back to the hospital.”
“Sure.” It’s not like I have a social life anyway. “That’s not a problem.”
Ruby. Crap. I was supposed to go out with Ruby tonight. I’ll have to call her and let her know about the change in plans.
“Thanks.”
I make a mental note to stop and pick up some smooth peanut butter, grape jelly, bananas, and soft tortillas. As a licensed respite provider, I have a variety of everyday items for all ages, but I’ve watched Steven before, and he only eats peanut butter and jelly wraps. With sliced bananas.
Smooth peanut butter. Don’t try to trick him with the crunchy peanut butter. He’ll stick his nose up and refuse to eat anything for the rest of the night.
“I get off in thirty minutes. If she wants to drop him off then, that’d be great.”
“Perfect.”
After I hang up, Dale leans his upper arm against the threshold. “What was that about? Do we have a call?”
“No, Josephine needs respite tonight.” I shove off the counter as he strides across the kitchen and yanks open a cabinet door.
“I heard her dad had surgery last night.” He digs out a paper plate.
I cross my arms over my chest while tapping the tip of my sensible, comfortable black shoes on the cement. We also need to talk about combat boots. Those would also look cool. “And you didn’t happen to say anything about it all day?”
“Hey.” He chuckles while setting the plate on the counter. “We were busy with calls, and then you were mooning over Jake Thompson for the last several hours. I didn’t think you had room for other topics.”
“Ple-e-ease,” I growl while rolling my eyes.
Heat floods from my chest, up my neck, and then across my cheeks.
So much for hoping everyone’s forgotten our blow-up at Jolie’s.
“I wasn’t mooning over Jake Thompson. It’s ridiculous that you’d even think that.
Besides, did you see the way he and Clint’s mom hit it off?
I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that they have a date lined up. ”
My stomach sinks as the words spill from my lips. It’s bad enough that they were floating around in my brain. Now, I had to go and speak them into the universe.
“Jealous much?” He yanks open the refrigerator.
“I’m not.” I force myself not to stomp my foot. “I’m. Not. Jealous.” I speak the words slowly while enunciating them more clearly than the last time. Maybe if I say it enough, I might even believe it.
“That’s what they all say,” he says with a smirk that I’d like to smack off his face.
“How does Tameka put up with you?” I glare at him as I imagine squishing his head in a vise.
Typically, I enjoy my partnership with Dale. We have an easy camaraderie that lends itself to both serious conversations and lighthearted banter. But he had to go there. I have enough people in my life giving me a hard time.
“I have a big–”
“Don’t.” I shove my hands over my ears.
He stomps across the gray painted floor and grabs one hand, yanking it off my ear. “Heart. I have a big heart.”
“Fine.” I brace my hands on my hips. “I shouldn’t have assumed the worst in you.”
“I also have a big dick.” He laughs with a wink.
“Asshole.” I snatch up the bottle of water and march to the door. “I need to call Ruby to let her know I’m going to be busy tonight.”
“Emily?” His voice sobers as he says my name, so I risk trusting him again and glance over my shoulder. If he smarts off one more time, I’m lobbing the bottle at his head. “I’m proud of you for getting your foster care license. It’s a good thing to do.”
“Thanks.”
This time, my cheeks heat for a different reason. I’ve always wanted to help people, and I love kids, so becoming a licensed foster parent seemed like the right thing to do.
As a single person with crazy 12-hour shifts and rotating days off, I can’t take on a permanent placement, but filling in during emergencies is the best of both worlds.
Now to break the news to Ruby that I’m unavailable for drinks.
Two Hours Later
As I navigate my living room on my hands and knees with a three-year-old on my back, I question the sanity of my decision.
“Keep going. Faster,” Steven squeals as he bounces his heels into my sides. Thank God I made sure he took off his boots when he came inside.
“I’m trying, buddy.”
“Faster!” He laughs as I pick up the pace, swaying and lurching up and down with each movement forward. He loves erratic motion as much as speed. And my knees are killing me because of it.
I glance at the clock above the television. Thirty more minutes. I need to entertain him for thirty more minutes before the bedtime routine kicks in.
It’s easier when I watch Eve and Russell. They have each other to entertain themselves. Steven is the only child that Josephine has in her care. Her biological children are older teenagers who can stay by themselves while she’s away.
By the fifteenth trip around the room, I slowly gravitate my head to the ground, then my shoulders, and let Steven slip to the floor, collapsing beside him as he giggles. His head whips around. “Again.”
Jesus. I close my eyes and try to catch my breath.
When the doorbell rings, I’m ready to kiss whoever is on the other side of the door. I don’t care if it’s my 64-year-old neighbor with his tube socks yanked up to his knees wanting a cup of sugar. I’m dropping to my knees in thanks.
I launch off the floor and yank the door open. Ruby stands in the hallway with a pint of chocolate fudge brownie ice cream in one hand and, in the other is a plastic grocery bag and a bottle of Ibuprofen.
“Funny.”
She lifts her eyebrows. “Are you implying you don’t need these? I can leave and take them home.”
“No.” I grab her arm and yank her inside. “Come on in and thank you.”
“Where’s the little monster?” She searches behind me and laughs.
Shit. I’ve looked in the other direction for over thirty seconds. He could be into anything by now.
I spin around as Steven slaps his hands on his hips. “Where’s mine?”
Thank God he’s not swinging from the ceiling fan.
“Don’t worry, little man.” Ruby transfers the bottle of Ibuprofen and the container of ice cream into the crook of her arm and digs into the grocery sack. “This is for you.” She tips her head sideways. “If…. you help get the room cleaned up.”
“What is it?” He eyes her suspiciously, like she could have a vegetable in there, trying to trick him.
She’s right. My living room is trashed with toys strung from one side of the room to the other. But it was a blast. Steven has been through so much, going from place to place to live. Thankfully, he’s still a happy boy.
Ruby waves two dinosaur toys to his delight.