23. Old Habits
23 OLD HABITS
Cal
I headed home Sunday morning, not wanting to leave Daphne. She waved goodbye from her front door, wearing little more than short-shorts and a tank top. I hated to leave her. We spent the weekend in bed scheming about the list of people she needed to court if she wanted to shake up the C-suite.
As I returned to Chicago, all chaos broke loose. Once in my apartment, Kristy texted an SOS.
Kristy
I am so sorry to ask but can you take Laurie for a couple of hours?
The baby ? Why would she ask me that?
Me
Why? What do you need to do?
Kristy
I have to run my sister to urgent care. And I don’t want to expose her to whatever ick is there. Can you take her? I can drop her off with everything she needs.
I don’t have anyone else to call, Cal. I’m sorry.
How was it that Kristy had a boyfriend, but I was her fallback? Sadly, I wanted to help Kristy and remained a sucker for a happy, fat baby. So, I gave in. I had no idea what I did, but I was doing my best to try to help her. She’d been there for me when I needed her.
Me
Fine. I can take her for a bit if you bring her here.
Kristy appeared twenty minutes later, handing the baby off with a very full diaper bag. I was left staring at a bright-eyed little human who rolled around on my floor, delighted to eat her own toes.
“You are very awake,” I noted. “And very happy.”
Laurie smiled, then giggled adorably, rolling over and kicking her legs. When my doorbell rang, I turned on the TV to catch up on a cable show. Assuming it was Kristy, I hoisted the baby and proceeded to the buzzer.
Albert, the front desk guy, said, “Sir, Miss Markham is down here requesting to speak to you.”
“My sister?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Uh… send her up,” I sighed.
Before too long, my sister appeared clad in a bright pink dress and heels a mile high.
“Chloe, what the hell?” I asked.
“Why are you holding a baby ?” Chloe tossed her handbag onto my kitchen island. “Do you have a love child, Cal?”
“God, no!” I said. “This is Kristy’s baby.”
Chloe approached, looking at Laurie like she was observing a rare specimen. “Nope. She doesn’t look like yours.”
“Chloe, she’s not mine. Kristy used a sperm donor. I was not the donor.”
Chloe shrugged and tossed her shoes aside, losing half a foot in height.
“What are you up to?”
“I went to a polo match, but I got bored. You said you wanted to talk, but we were out of town all weekend in some mysterious place. What do you want to talk about?”
I returned to my living room and sat the baby down. Chloe plopped on the couch beside me.
“Why is the baby here? Are you and Kristy?—”
“No. She had to run her sister to urgent care. Something about needing stitches or something.”
“Oh. Well, she’s fucking adorable.”
“She is, yeah,” I said while the baby rolled to Chloe, blowing bubbles. “Reminds me of you at that age, kid.”
“What do you need, big brother?” Chloe groaned.
“Uh… I need you to become my proxy.”
“For what?”
“For my shares in Delphine Holdings. David left me shares, but I cannot exercise them as the mayor. I have a huge conflict of interest. I want you to take them over.”
Chloe giggled. “Why? What?”
“Because I trust you to represent my interests. And… I think you and Daphne are about to fuck shit up.”
“How?”
“Well, it’s a little complicated, but Davey is running the company into the ground and refuses to listen to Daphne.”
“What, Davey being a chode? Never!” Chloe laughed.
“He needs to be taken down a peg.”
“So, how did you hear this hot dish? Lanie has said nothing .”
“I heard it from Daphne. Long story.”
Chloe raised her eyebrows and tilted her head. “Are you… the two of you?”
“What? No!” I lied.
“Uh-huh. I totally buy that.”
“That is a ridiculous idea.”
“Yep. Ridiculous.” Chloe looked at her nails, then playfully blew a raspberry at Laurie.
How does she know?
“You’re an idiot. All men are fucking idiots! Cal, you spent the entire gala talking to her—hanging on her every word. And yes, she looked impeccable , but how you looked at her pained everyone around you. You got it bad for her.”
“She’s too young for me, and she’s David’s daughter.”
“Yes, because any of that matters when she’s over the age of thirty and your bestie is dead. What is he going to do, reanimate and come cut off your balls? Get over yourself. Fuck her or don’t, but if you don’t, you’re stupid. She’s hot and needs a rebound, so you should hit it.”
Chloe stood.
“Chloe, I… I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to. I know how it is. I’ll take your shares. When you want to talk about the next steps, contact me. I’m off to London next week, though.”
“Cool,” I said. It was not cool. I didn’t know what to say. “It has to go through probate. Then, when it is, I will let you know.”
She saluted, picked up her shoes, popped her handbag under her arm, and vanished. I’d never understand Chloe. She was more aberration than person. She appeared and disappeared when she wanted, not when you asked.
I looked at Laurie. “Kid, if you haven’t guessed, my life is a disaster.”
She gave me a two-tooth grin and babbled before forcing her entire hand into her mouth. I turned my attention back to the television, relaxing while Laurie gnawed on her chubby hands and feet.
After a couple of hours, two diapers, and a bottle later, Kristy arrived back at my place. Kristy’s presence delighted the baby, who screamed for her mother.
“How did she even know it was you?” I asked.
“Oh, she can smell me. It’s milk. She won’t calm down unless I leave the house sometimes.”
Kristy picked the baby up, kissed her on the cheek and settled on the couch.
“So, how is Preston or whatever his name is?”
Kristy scoffed. “Paul. His name is Paul, Cal. And he’s in New York.”
“Ah. Does he watch Laurie a lot?”
“No,” Kristy answered. “He has no clue about children. I have struggled to let him have any contact with her without me right there. Call it mom guilt or anxiety or whatever.”
“And yet… you’re desperate enough to leave her with me.”
Kristy shook her head. “Cal, you’re different. I’ve known you forever, and I trust you.”
“You don’t trust Paul?” I raised my eyebrows.
“It’s… we aren’t there yet, okay. I trusted you once with my medical directives. Paul is new. And we’re not exclusive or… anything.”
“Ah.”
“So, you know, you shouldn’t feel guilty if?—”
I shook my head and moved away. “Kristy, please tell me you aren’t coming onto me.”
“He’s been out of town for a week, and it could be fun, Cal.”
“There is a baby involved,” I said. “And that is enough to tell me no.”
“I’m still a sexual being, Cal. Don’t act so opposed. You fucked me when I was pregnant?—”
I cleared my throat. “Yeah, well, that was different . My circumstances alone have changed.”
“Oh… are you with someone?”
How did I answer that? Was I honest?
“It’s new, but yes,” I said. “And even though we’re not exclusive, I’m not that guy, Kristy. And I don’t like to share. You know that.”
Kristy sighed. “I know. Monogamy is boring, Cal.”
“Well, so sue me. I am a boring old man, Kris.”
She smiled. “That’s fair. I wish you the best. Let me guess, she’s younger?”
I snickered. “What? You really think I am looking for someone younger.”
“Well, I was. So, no shade.”
I rolled my eyes. “She’s a bit younger than you.”
8 years your junior. Thirteen years younger than I am.
“Knew it! But are you having fun?”
“Yes, Kristy.”
“Am I freaking you out?”
“Very much so,” I said. “I am… not at all ready for this.”
“That’s fair. I will take this little bug out of your hair. Thanks again. I promise not to?—”
“It’s okay.” I smiled. “I do not mind her at all. She’s pretty sweet.”