Chapter Nine
I t was the second to last week of school and Sadie came bursting through the front door with her grandma hot on her heels.
“Slow down, child!” my mother told her as she dropped Sadie’s backpack and lunch bag on the kitchen counter. Sadie had already run to the table where her after-school snack was waiting for her after calling hello to me.
My mother glanced through the mail she’d grabbed on the way in as she walked into the sunroom where I had my office. “That girl has enough energy to power a small city,” she mumbled as she came beside my desk.
I finished typing up the email I’d been concentrating on and looked up to greet her. I stopped when I saw her expression, staring down at an envelope. “What is it, Mom?”
She turned it toward me. The left corner had a logo for Phillips State Prison. It was addressed to Grace and Sadie Cage .
The younger addressee came into the room to ask for an apple just then.
My mother quickly sat the envelope down on my desk, putting the other mail on top of it as she turned to Sadie with a smile. “Sure sweetheart, we’ll let your mom finish her workday.” She glanced back at me with worry as she followed her granddaughter into the kitchen.
I took a few deep breaths before digging the envelope out from the bottom of the pile. I gaped at the girl’s names. Recognizing Drew’s handwriting, my heart rate increased. His damn sister must have given him our new address.
I chewed my lip, trying to decide what to do.
I flipped the envelope over and started to stick my finger under the flap to tear it open but stopped myself. Instead, I opened my bottom desk drawer, threw the envelope in, shoved it shut again, and shook my head with frustration as my heart kept pounding.
It didn’t matter what was in it. Drew was likely writing the girls because he wanted them to visit when he was out of prison. That wasn’t going to happen so the letter didn’t matter. I’d put it with the other ones I saved for Grace and forget it existed as soon as possible.
I finished sending my email, let the staff know I was leaving for the day, and shut my workstation down.
When I reached the kitchen threshold, I saw a baking session of Sadie’s favorite confetti cookies was underway. I watched my little girl continue chattering to my mother about her day while she rolled dough balls.
Sadie eventually glanced up and when she saw me, she looked at her grandma with hopeful, impatient eyes.
“Okay, you can talk to her about it now,” my mother told her.
My lips curved, seeing her little face turn charming. She was definitely about to try buttering me up for something. “What are you plotting, child?”
Sadie started jumping up and down on her baking stool. “I found out the greatest, most awesome-est thing at school today and we have to sign up before it’s too late!”
“I see. What is this awesome-est thing?” I asked as I joined them at the counter.
Sadie hopped down, ran to the table where she had poured out the contents of her backpack and returned with a paper pressed to her chest.
“My school, wait for it…” she paused for dramatic effect, then excitedly thrust it toward me, “is having math camp this summer!”
I grabbed the bouncing page after a few attempts. The flyer was for a four-week camp for second and third-graders starting on the sixth of June.
“Please, Momma? Can I, can I, can I?!” Sadie begged.
I looked over the registration form on the backside. My child was currently obsessed with numbers so this was a logical thing to consider letting her do. After all, how often did your kid ask for more education?
But then I remembered my commitment for the summer and winced. “I’m sorry, Bug. We’re leaving for Florida on the fourth. Uncle Mickey has the furniture deliveries scheduled to start the following week.”
Sadie continued bouncing on her stool as she got back to rolling balls. “Grandma said I can stay here with her!”
I shifted focus to my mother while placing my hand on my daughter’s head to stop her movement before dough ended up all over the place.
“When Sadie showed it to me, I thought it might be helpful for you to go down to Florida alone for a while,” my mother told me. “Have some quiet time. I know it’s easier to work without a little monster constantly bugging you to go to the pool or beach.”
“Hey!” Sadie chimed in. “I’m not a monster!”
“Tell that to the cookies,” her grandma teased as she tugged on Sadie’s braid. “Grace won’t be home until the first of July, conveniently the last day of this camp. She can fly here and I can bring them both down that weekend. You can have the condo all to yourself for almost a month. Having it empty should make your projects much easier to get done.”
Her tone turned concerned.
“I also think some alone time would be nice for you, Madison. Especially with everything on your mind… recently. You’ve been going hard for a long time and deserve a break, ho ney. Go down, get some sun, read, shop, go to bars, dance, have some fun.” She put her hand up to block her mouth from Sadie’s view. “Maybe get laid,” she whispered.
I cringed. “Moooooom.”
Sadie looked up from her dough. “What did Grandma do?”
I gave said grandma a pointed look. “Nothing.”
My mother shrugged, trying not to smile. “Just a suggestion.”
She had been trying to talk me into dating for years. I knew she only wanted to see me happy. I’d never been able to discuss with her fully why I preferred to stay single.
And I definitely wasn’t interested in hearing HER encourage me to do THAT.
My thoughts slipped back to Drew’s release from prison. I really should keep Sadie with me. I hated disappointing her but opened my mouth to turn down the offer.
My mother lifted a hand, prepared to stop me with a clear look. “I’ve got it, honey. Sadie will be in good hands. I promise.”
I blinked as my eyes stung and my mother gave me a nod of understanding.
“Sooooo,” Sadie said in the voice she used to wrap adults around her little finger. “Math camp please, Momma?” Knowing I’m a fan of eating it raw, she held a spoonful of dough out to me.
Her hopeful little face was breaking me down and my mother gave me another firm nod.
Taking the spoon from Sadie, I sighed and surrendered to their dual assault. “Alright, Napoleon. Go wash your hands and get me a pen please.”
Sadie beamed and jumped down again. She was halfway across the room when she turned back with excitement.
“Wait, if that means we’re having ice cream tonight, can I just have the chocolate and strawberry? Vanilla is soooo boring.”