Chapter 1 #2
“Actually, have you gone through the rest of the applications yet?” She pushes herself away from her desk and walks over to one of the many filing cabinets she has in the office.
“I had a few more trickle in and figured we could put them in your algorithm. See if some of them fit for the ones you had left over.”
“Yeah, I can do that.” I set my pasta down on her desk before digging through my work bag, pulling out the folders containing the matches I have completed. “Do you have JJ’s? I already have a couple of people in mind.”
Kirstin looks at me over her shoulder and grins, grabbing the folders she was looking for and setting them in front of me. “What would I ever do without you?”
“Now that right there seems to be the question of the day.”
We work as we eat, going through the leftover applications and talking over who we think would work best matched with who. Two hours later, after a bit of bickering and ‘you-know-I’m-rights’ being thrown around, we only have five leftover applications.
“Can you email the pairings and make them aware of next weekend’s event?” She asks as she throws a few things in her large book bag. “I have to get to a friend’s child’s birthday party.”
“Of course.” I pull out my phone and start typing a message to Blue. “Anything else you need done before Monday?”
Kirstin gives me a small smile as she slips into her coat and slings her bag over her shoulder, resting one hand on her desk as she looks down at me. “Not that takes priority over getting home to your little girl and spending your Sunday with her. I’ll see you Monday morning.”
I nod gratefully and give her a reassuring smile before she slips out of her office.
Flipping open my laptop, I write up sixteen different emails containing all the details for next weekend’s event, their matches, and attach my phone number in case they have questions.
Just as I hit send on the last one, my phone buzzes on the desk.
Blue’s Clues
No worries, honey. We’re just watching a movie.
And yes, she finished her homework.
I chuckle quietly to myself as I close my laptop, stuffing it into my bag along with the five unmatched folders.
I pull out the keys to the office before I throw my bag over my shoulder, leaving Kirstin’s office and locking the door before heading back into the hallway toward the elevator.
Once the door is secured behind me, I push the down arrow and wait for the elevator to arrive.
A little over an hour later, I’m pulling into the parking lot of our apartment complex.
Making sure I have the pizza secure in my hand and my bag over my shoulder, I make my way towards the stairwell and walk up the five flights of steps.
Fishing my key fob out of my purse, I swipe it in front of the security sensor and push the door open.
Stopping outside of our apartment, number 528, I hesitate as I hear male laughter.
Before I can push open the door, it’s pulled wide, and I don’t miss the irritated look that graces my best friend’s face. Blue glances down and takes the pizza out of my hands, gesturing her head towards the living room where my daughter’s laughter is echoing from.
“Guess he came back early.” Blue’s disapproval is evident in her voice. “Said he missed his daughter too much to stay away any longer.”
I roll my eyes before I take a deep breath, trying to stifle down my anger and prepare to plaster on a facade for my little girl; she doesn’t need to hear her father and I arguing. “Well, at least he came home, right?”
“Yeah,” Blue responds half-heartedly, placing her free hand on her hip as I brush past her to enter my home. “Right where his ass should’ve been all along.”
“Not now,” I whisper-yell as she closes the door. “Claire has supersonic hearing.”
Right on cue, Claire comes running into the entryway, launching herself at me as she wraps her arms around my waist. I barely have time to stabilize myself and stumble backward a couple of feet. She laughs and squeezes me tightly before she looks over at Blue and notices the pizza in her hands.
“You got my favorite.” She’s beaming as she worms her way out of my grasp and takes the box out of Blue’s hands. “Thanks, mom.”
“Of course, baby,” I reply, following her over to the kitchen table where she sets down the box. I walk around the island, grabbing three plates out of the cabinet. Before I can leave the kitchen, Travis comes walking in and leans against the door frame.
We stare at one another for a moment, studying each other.
His dirty blonde hair has grown longer since the last time I have seen him, his beard thicker than how he normally keeps it.
His blue eyes are a little glassy and red, but this time he doesn’t smell of alcohol.
Travis’s gaze shifts to the plates in my hands, and his brows furrow.
“I take it that the third plate isn’t for me.” I don’t respond, and his shoulders sag. “I’ve missed you, Mar. I’m sorry I didn’t call.”
Narrowing my eyes slightly, I scan his outfit. Based on the wrinkles in his shirt, I know that means he had slept in it, which could mean one of two things: he passed out somewhere, or he spent the night with someone else.
Turning around, I walk out of the kitchen with the plates in hand and set them down on the table in their designated spots.
Claire takes no time flipping open the pizza box, taking two slices and placing them on her smaller plate.
Blue chuckles as she sits next to her, grabbing a couple of pieces for herself.
I stand behind my daughter’s chair and run a hand over her hair.
“What would you like to drink?” I ask.
“Can I have a Sprite?”
“What do you say?” Travis suddenly speaks up, causing my head to snap over in his direction to see him leaning against the wall, his gaze fixated on our child.
“Please,” Claire answers, tilting her head back to look up at me.
I give her a gentle smile as I walk back into the kitchen and over to the fridge, grabbing her a can. Just as I am about to head back to the table to eat, Travis walks over and puts a hand on my arm, stopping me. I freeze as that familiar knot in my stomach tightens, glancing down at his hand.
“Why won’t you talk to me?” He ponders softly, giving me a hard stare.
“You are unbelievable.” I yank my arm free from his hand. “Don’t you dare correct my daughter again.”
Travis’s eyebrows furrow together as his eyes narrow. “Excuse me? She’s my daughter, too.”
“Yeah? Since when?” I snap, my teeth grinding together. “We’re not doing this right now.”
Not giving him an opportunity to respond, I push past him and walk back over to give Claire her drink. The rest of dinner goes by rather smoothly, Claire telling me about her day out with her Auntie as Travis hides in the living room after a very pinned look from Blue.
Half an hour later, Claire takes the dishes off the table and goes into the kitchen to wash them, her chore for Saturday nights. I sigh and lean forward once she’s out of earshot, resting my elbows on the table and putting my head in my hands.
“Do you want me to take Claire for the night?” Blue asks softly, clearly trying to tread carefully and not upset me further. “Could give you two some space to talk. Or finally kick his ass to the curb once and for all.”
“There’s no way Claire would leave.” I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest. “He just got back.”
Blue nods, a solemn look on her face as she tentatively reaches over and puts a hand on my knee. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I mumble, glancing over my shoulder to see Travis staring at us from his seat on the couch. “But I know I need to figure it out.”
“Mom, I’m done.” Claire comes running back over to us, slowing down as she stops next to me before climbing into my lap. “Can we watch a movie?”
I nod, wrapping my arms around her tiny waist. “Sure, baby. What would you like to watch?”
“Can we watch Hercules?”
“Whatever you want, love.” I glance back at Travis before putting my attention back on my daughter. “Why don’t you say goodbye to Auntie Blue and then start the movie while me and your dad talk? That sound good?”
Claire nods, sliding off my lap and giving Blue a hug.
Once Blue finally lets her go, Claire goes running into the living room just as Travis stands from the couch.
I turn back to my friend, giving her a weak smile as her gaze drifts from him to me.
She raises a brow as a silent question to which I answer with a soft nod.
“You call if you need me,” Blue states before she gives me a hug. “I’ll come right back if I need to.”
With one last look over at Travis standing in the hallway where the bedrooms are located, Blue picks up her bag and walks out the door. I close it behind her, turning to walk towards the living room. I see Claire curled up on the couch with a blanket wrapped around her as the movie starts.
I sigh, looking behind me to see Travis’s back as he walks towards my bedroom. Taking one last moment to collect myself, to remind myself to be calm and civil for my daughter’s sake, I trail behind him.
Travis sits on the white comforter covered bed, his legs crossed at the ankles as he leans back on his hands. His head is tilted slightly as he looks at me, almost like he’s studying me to gauge my reaction before I know myself what it is going to be.
“I miss you,” he says, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
I scoff and shake my head, crossing my arms in front of me. “You sure have an odd way of showing it.”
“You know how busy I get.” I don’t miss the hardened edge that’s beginning to slip into his voice. “Sometimes I just lose track of the days. Spending as much time with clients as I do, it’s bound to happen. You know that.”
“I know better than most how busy and demanding some jobs can be.” I drop my arms to my sides and take a step forward, my hands subconsciously landing to rest on my hips. “But I don’t let that impede parenting our child.”