Chapter 26 #2
I’m never stuck on the wrong side of the table. I know better.
I know better .
How did I get so distracted?
Because this is normal, dummy .
Anytime I’m with my friends, I let my guard down.
My friends help keep an eye on him.
And now Bash is gone .
Bash, who looks so much like Jonas that anyone who spots it will see an opportunity.
While his famous father’s brother and sister-in-law are sitting right here.
Watching me lose track of my son.
Watching me— no no no .
Deep breaths.
I finally get myself out from behind the table, but I don’t know what to do next.
I don’t know what to do next .
Laney grabs my hand as Begonia turns to me. “Don’t panic,” Begonia says. “We have?—”
She’s interrupted by a chuckle.
A deep, amused chuckle. “That’s a new one,” Hayes says into his phone.
“A security team with us,” Begonia finishes as Hayes nods to her. “They have the runaways.”
They have the runaways .
Oh, god, Bash .
Of course. Of course he and a dog ran away.
“In the kitchen,” Laney supplies. “Just like normal.”
My legs collapse under me and I sit hard enough on the chair to bruise my tailbone, but I don’t care.
“I don’t lose him.” I can’t catch my breath. I know they’re all telling me he’s fine, but I lost him . While Jonas’s family was watching . I know how this plays out in court. I do. “I don’t. I never lose him.”
“My sister once lost two of her kids when our whole family was out for pizza,” Begonia says. “One of them crawled into the claw machine and the other was trying. It happens.”
“I don’t lose him .” I can’t stop saying it.
And suddenly a man who looks like Jonas but isn’t Jonas is squatting in front of me. “We know,” Hayes says quietly. “It’s okay.”
“It is not ?—”
“It is.” He squeezes my shoulder. “You’re a good mom. None of us are a match for Marshmallow.”
I don’t want to cry. I refuse to cry.
Not in front of these people.
“Don’t take my baby,” I whisper.
“If they so much as try, I will destroy all of them,” Begonia says beside me.
Happily.
Cheerfully , even.
Hayes squeezes my shoulder again, clearly suppressing a smile. “It’s the sunshine ones you have to be most afraid of. You never see their wrath coming.”
“Mama! Mama, I sim in fower!”
Bash trots out of the kitchen, coated head to toe in white dust.
Marshmallow trots behind him, coated head to tail in white dust.
“I turned around for three seconds ,” Willa says as she exits the kitchen, mildly dusted herself.
There’s a man I don’t recognize with her who’s clearly amused, and Zen’s having a facial gymnastics issue while Sabrina glares at them and rubs her belly.
“Three seconds, and then there’s a whoosh and a thump and the entire fifty-pound bag of flour pulled a cheese powder trick. ”
“We are not talking about the cheese powder incident again,” Sabrina says.
“It was totally like the cheese powder,” Zen replies with a grin.
“Mama, I goe!” Bash reaches me, his diaper sagging, a plume of flour trailing behind him. “Booo! I dary!”
Hayes scoots aside so I can sweep my little boy into my arms, hug him, and almost choke on the flour dust. “You’re a scary ghost,” I agree, my eyes getting wet all over again.
Bad idea.
Bad idea, because water and flour make glue.
Crap .
“But do not run and hide from mama when we’re not home, okay?”
“I no hie, mama. I goe . Maw-mawa goe.”
“I’ll bet we can make you better ghost costumes.” Begonia coughs.
Coughs again.
Hayes coughs.
Zen coughs.
Laney coughs.
I cough.
The only people not coughing from the flour dust are Bash and Marshmallow.
The culprits who brought the flour dust.
“Mama, maw-mawa come pway? Pway me Dodo Ono?”
“Marshmallow would eat Yolko Ono.”
Bash freezes. His eyes go wide, his brown irises the only thing on him that’s not white with flour. Even his lips are white.
“I—” I start, realizing where his brain’s going.
And then he cackles. “Maw-mawa eat Dodo Ono!”
Laney chokes again, then wheezes with laughter broken with coughs. “Crap. Bathroom.”
“Bathroom,” Begonia agrees.
“ We only have two bathrooms ,” Sabrina groans.
“The lady with twins has dibs,” Zen announces.
I hug Bash closer. “ Please don’t leave mama’s side when we’re not at home, okay?”
“’Kay,” he says.
I shoot a look at Laney. “And you better hope you’re having a girl.”
She’s headed toward the bathrooms too. “We’ve already discussed just how much Theo will have to step up and handle things if we’re having a boy. I think he’s looking forward to it.”
“I’m so glad Grey’s a boring nerd,” Sabrina says.
“He has other bad genes,” Zen assures her. “Plus, he’s like, twice your size. I have no idea how you’ll deliver his mutantly huge baby.”
Hayes takes the seat next to me and looks at me again. “My brother pulled a vanishing act once.”
I sweep a glance around the room.
No one’s paying attention to us.
“Did he?” I ask.
“County fair. He was about seven. Slipped away from…Mom and Dad…to go find cotton candy.”
I’m pretty sure Mom and Dad is code for all of our bajillionty security people . At seven, Jonas was already starring in commercials and movies. Probably making public appearances too.
Wasn’t that about how old he was when he won his Oscar?
“That must’ve been scary for you,” I say quietly, one eye on Marshmallow. The dog has plopped down beside Hayes and has one front paw bent in.
“Wasn’t the only time. Happy to send you an email detailing a few more that were worse.”
Is he?—
I swallow hard.
Blink again against the moisture threatening my eyes. “Will that…be necessary?”
“Better safe than sorry.” He nods to Bash, who’s now diving into my leftover bacon. “He’s happy. That’s what matters.”
“Why would you do this for someone who’s practically a stranger?”
“Because it’s very clearly the right thing to do. And anyone in my family who doesn’t understand that can deal with my wife.”
“Is she really terrifying?” I can’t picture it.
Not at all.
He grins again, and I see more shades of Jonas. It comes out in the way his eyes crinkle. “I hope you never have to witness the answer to that question.”
“Are you talking about me getting mad again?” Begonia stops behind him and runs her fingers through his hair, still smiling.
His smile grows as he looks up at her. “Yes.”
She rolls her eyes. “I am not mean when I’m mad.”
“That’s what’s so terrifying about it.”
“By my calculation, that’s about fifteen whole sentences from you, so it must be time to go home and take a nap.
Marshmallow, come on. You need a bath. Emma, it was so good to see you again.
” She bends to hug me before I can get up.
“And it was so nice to meet you, Bash. I hope we get to play together again sometime soon.”
Hayes nods to me. “I’ll email you.”
“Do you need—” Duh. Of course he doesn’t need my email address. “Never mind.”
They take the dog and their security guy and head out, leaving me with just Zen while Laney and Sabrina finish their pregnant lady bathroom runs.
Zen looks at Bash, then at me. “That was weirdly weird but also weirdly normal.”
I slowly nod. “Welcome to the past two and a half years of my life.”