Chapter Four Find Balance in the Chaos
Chapter Four
Find Balance in the Chaos
Hayes
My younger sister, Madelyn, is absorbed by weaving tiny rubber bands together on her Rainbow Loom. She’s made me countless friendship bracelets this way, and even a key ring.
“How do you feel about purple?” she asks, tongue out in concentration.
“I’m good with purple.” I nod.
I can’t say I ever expected to have Madelyn in my life. I was an only child until I was twenty-two years old. Until my dad had a midlife crisis and fathered a secret love child. But when your family is as prominent as mine, secrets have a way of getting out.
Maddie’s now eight, and while my parents have mostly worked things out, I wouldn’t say they’re happy.
It’s a story for another time. Madelyn’s mom has actually handled the whole thing pretty well and shares custody with my father, who sees Maddie on the weekends.
I see her a few times a month—we’re each other’s only sibling, and even though we’re as different as night and day, I think we both look forward to the time we spend together.
When I take her to the park, or out shopping, people assume I’m her father.
It’s unconventional, but I absolutely adore her, and I’m grateful she’s in my life.
“Why can’t we go to Wiggle World?” Madelyn asks with a pout.
Wiggle World is literally hell on earth. I would rather give my left testicle than endure another minute at that soul-sucking place.
“I wish we could,” I say with a frown. “I heard Wiggle World actually closed down.”
Madelyn’s appraising gaze snaps over to mine. “What? No way. My friend Legacy was there last week.”
Legacy? People name their children the strangest things these days.
“Yeah, it’s really a shame what happened, but they’ve closed up for good.”
“Hey, Alexa!” she shouts. “Is Wiggle World open today?”
Alexa informs us that Wiggle World is indeed open today, and then cites today’s hours in a robotic tone. I want to strangle it with its own cord.
She grins. “See, I told you it’s open.”
You can’t lie to kids anymore. It’s really a shame what the world’s come to.
“No Wiggle World, Maddie. What else do you want to do today?” I offer.
“We could get a pedicure.” She smiles at me.
I glance down at my feet. “I think I’m still good from the last time.”
“Ice cream?” She smiles wider.
“It’s almost dinnertime,” I say, glancing at my watch. “Shouldn’t we eat something nutritious first?”
She scrunches her nose. “Ice cream for dinner is fine by me.”
What the hell. You only live once. “Sure, let’s do it, kid.”
The truth is, I need this break. The distraction of a weekend spent catering to the whims of an eight-year-old is exactly what my brain needs. Work has never been busier, my relationship with my parents has never been more toxic.
I need a weekend where the biggest decision I have to make is whether or not to order one scoop or two.
“And then we can watch Sing 2 later. You’ll love the gorilla, Johnny,” she informs me with a look of absolute certainty.
I chuckle and grab my keys.
My phone rings, and I expect it to be my friend Malachi calling to rub in all that I’m missing in Palm Springs. But when I see it’s my uncle Charles, I decide to answer.
“Hello?”
I hold open the door for Maddie, who happily trots along the stone path leading to the garage.
“Hayes,” he says, sounding excited about something. “I’m glad I caught you. I wanted to let you know that I’ve figured out the fix for my travel schedule.”
I’d kind of forgotten he mentioned wanting to take some time to travel this year. I’d sort of blown it off, to be honest.
“Oh yeah?” I ask.
“Yeah. I’ve decided to hire Frankie to accompany me.”
He did what? Frankie, as in that sociopath Francesca? My brain skids to a stop.
“Hayes?” he asks. “Are you still there?”
I’m momentarily speechless, because I’m in absolute shock that he went and did this. He’s normally such a responsible and methodical person. What is he possibly thinking?
I press a knuckle to my temple. “I’m here. I’m just . . . processing.”
“I really think it will be the perfect solution, and in fact she’s going to accompany me next week to Big Sky.”
My brain sputters as a bewildered look overtakes my face.
Maddie has stopped skipping along the sidewalk to watch me with a curious expression.
“Did you check her references?” I ask, stepping carefully over the sidewalk chalk drawing of a dragon Maddie created earlier.
“I did, yes. They had wonderful things to say about her.”
“And has she signed an NDA?”
“Of course,” Charles answers.
Well, that’s a relief. It still doesn’t mean I’m okay with this.
Hiring her to complete specific tasks is one thing; employing someone as your personal companion, someone who will accompany you on trips and spend hours, days, weeks living alongside you .
. . it’s a very intimate arrangement. I honestly don’t know what my uncle is thinking.
Who am I kidding? He clearly isn’t. The old man must be losing it.
I’ve heard about this kind of thing. Next thing you know, I’ll be taking away his car keys. He can’t be trusted anymore.
I release a slow breath, trying to compose my thoughts.
“For the record, I think that’s a terrible idea, Uncle Charles.
We hardly know her. And you know I don’t like to meddle, but from what I’ve seen she’s irresponsible at best, certainly careless, and I don’t like the idea that she’d be the one in charge of looking after you when she clearly can’t even look after herself. ”
“Hayes”—his tone is scolding—“Frankie is here on speakerphone.”
“Hiya, Hazey,” she says, sounding chipper.
I groan and run a hand through my hair. “Hello, Francesca,” I manage to grit out, somehow sounding professional instead of exasperated, like I feel.
She huffs a breath. “Call me Frankie. Everyone does.”
“I’m not everyone.”
How this woman has managed to get under my skin so thoroughly in such short order, I have no idea.
I unlock my Maserati and hold open the passenger door for Maddie. “Are we still going for ice cream?” she asks at my sullen expression.
I nod and say into the phone, “I have to go. We’ll talk about this later.”
I have no idea what voodoo this woman did to lure in my uncle, but this conversation is far from over.