Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Evie
Three Weeks Postpartum
Icringe as my car begins to make some god awful noise as I pull into their driveway. The engine light went from a solid staple on my dashboard, to a flashing rave. I’m sure that isn’t good, but I can’t afford to take it in right now. I’m sure it’s fine.
Grabbing my tumbler, filled with my caramel iced coffee, I drag myself out of my car, throwing my bag over my shoulder. The creaking bang of my door slamming echoes in waves behind me as I walk to the front door.
My mouth opens involuntarily as a yawn escapes, pausing me in my steps as it takes over my body. Shaking the sleep out of my head I move forward and ring the doorbell.
Moments tick by before the door opens, standing there is Monty.
Wearing boot cut blue jeans that perfectly encase his toned thighs.
The pants are held up by a simple leather belt that his white ribbed tank is tucked into nicely.
The white material molds over every defined muscle, making me wish I could dump my drink over him to see how the material would cling.
“Morning!” Monty chimes, stepping back as I walk into the house. “I’m just getting Shiloh’s lunch in his bag before I head out!”
Following his steps, he veers off to the kitchen while I continue to the table where Shiloh is sitting with a bowl of cereal. He’s wiggling and humming a tune as he eats his food. When he looks up, his eyes shine with excitement as he waves at me.
“Good morning, Shiloh!” pulling out the chair beside him, I sit. “Did you have a good sleep?”
“The bestest! I had a dream I was piderman!” Shiloh exclaims, “and, and I had to fight da bad guys,” he throws his arms out as he continues to enthusiastically tell me about his dream. Monty leaves the kitchen and comes back with Hayes, placing him in the swing.
Josie pulls up a chair, joining us as Shiloh’s onto his next topic. I’m just trying my best to keep up with what he’s saying.
“—did you cool down?” Shiloh asks, with a serious expression on his face.
“I’m sorry, cool down?” my brows furrow in confusion. “What do you mean bud?”
“Well after you left, I was ‘posed to be brushing my teeth…” he leans forward, as if to tell me a secret. “But I wasn’t. I was listenin’ to momma and daddy talk.”
“Oh Lo, we’ve talked about sneaking and listening to when me and daddy talk,” Josie begins.
“I know. I’m sorry momma.” He looks apologetically at his mom, before turning back to me, “but I heard daddy say how you were so hot.”
“Oh my god.” I look up to see the flushed neck of Monty as his hand scrubs his face before combing through his hair.
“You know what, I have to get going. I’ll leave you girls to it.
” He closes the distance between him and Josie.
Quickly pecking her on the lips, he reaches over and ruffles Shiloh's hair, before spinning and hightailing it out of the house.
“Have a great day!” he hollers over his shoulder before the sound of the door closing sounds a few seconds later.
There’s a brief pause after the goodbyes. I take a drink of my coffee, not sure what to make of this conversation. On one hand, hilarious. You always see the videos of kids saying the most out of left field things around their parents. But to experience? Priceless.
On the other hand, I won’t lie about the way my heartbeat speeds up with excitement thinking how Monty thinks I’m hot. Which, I know, I can’t be excited about because he’s married. To the gorgeous brunette who sits across from me.
I let my eyes wander over her, taking her in. She’s wearing a light blue cardigan, over a black crew neck shirt. Her layered medium length haircut perfectly frames her sweet round face. Her plump lips gaped open as she attempts to form words together.
“Lo, I don’t think that’s what daddy was saying…” Josie starts.
“Uh huh!” He exclaims determination in his tone. “‘Cause when daddy said that, you said daddy was right!”
I bring my cup up to my mouth to hide the smile that’s forming on my lips. Stupid little butterflies begin fluttering in my stomach.
“Did momma check if you had a fever?” Shiloh turns his line of conversation toward me. “When I’m sick and momma says I have a fever, she puts her hand on my head like this.” He places the back of his hand on his own forehead to demonstrate.
“Uh, no buddy. Your momma didn’t check my temperature.” I try to keep a straight face, the corner of my lips twitching as I try to hold in my laughter.
“Okay, Lo!’ Josie pushes her chair back and stands. “Your bus is going to be here soon. Go get your shoes on”
Like we didn’t just have a conversation about how his parents called me hot, he gets up from the table and runs toward the front door.
My eyes move back to one of the two people who have captured my attention.
At the sink, Josie scrubs away at a frying pan.
Seeming to attempt to avoid the hot topic at hand.
That’s not happening. Because now I want to see if I can make her squirm.
Watching that Shiloh is currently in the process of putting his shoes on, I close the distance between Josie and I. Leaning my ass against the counter top, crossing my arms over my chest. Keeping my eye on the tiny human who just ratted his parents out.
“So are you wanting to take my temperature?” Leaning closer, a smirk on my face, I speak low for only her to hear. “You know because you and your husband seem to think I’m hot.”
Josie fumbles with the pan, dropping it with a clank. She quickly picks it up, rinses it and puts it in the dish rack before facing me. “Oh you know, kids always say the craziest things. Especially when they’re sneaking around.” A chuckle leaves her lips as she dries her hands on her thighs.
“I’m ready momma!” Shiloh yells from across the room.
“Let me just get Evie set up with the carrier so we can get your brother set up then we’ll head out buddy.
” Josie brushes past me, leaving a trail of ripe peach mixed with the soft undertones of white tea.
A scent so gentle it shouldn’t have the effect it does on me.
Her scent invades my senses, sinking deep- blanketing peace into my core, filling a space that I didn’t know was waiting to be comforted.
The thought startles me, shaking me out of how easily her smell could become a craving.
Redirecting myself to the baby swing, where Hayes lays peacefully.
Needing that distance from her intoxicating scent I choose to focus on the tiny human I was hired to be here and help with.
Moments later Josie comes over and hands me a sling carrier.
I’ve seen these brands before but I’ve never used them.
“Here, get your jacket on and then let me show you how to get situated.” Quickly I grab my jacket, zipping it up before returning to her side.
Josie steps into my space as she lifts the sling over my head, resting one side on my right shoulder.
She moved the ring, adjusting the length of the ring before instructing me to pick up Hayes.
Her soft tone directs me how to place him into the sling and explains how to adjust him tighter to my chest so he’s nice and snug.
She steps back with a soft smile on her face, “perfect, he should stay asleep while he’s in there, and now you have both hands free.
” Looking down, I take in Hayes' face as he sleeps peacefully in the sling.
He suckles at the soother in his mouth as he sleeps.
He nuzzles his face closer to my body, as if trying to absorb my heat.
After getting our own shoes on, we make our way to the end of the driveway to wait for Shiloh’s bus to arrive.
The crisp winter air hits my lungs, reminding me that we are still in the thick of winter.
Bringing Hayes closer to my body, I watch as Shiloh keeps himself busy by jumping in the snowbank nearby.
“What do we have on the agenda today once Shiloh’s off to school?” I ask casually. Breaking the ice after what happened in the kitchen. While it thrills me to know the attraction between the three of us is mutual. I can’t act on it while I’m working for them.
“I thought we could keep it simple for today.” Josie watches as the bus begins to come down the road. “There’s no appointments today, so I figured I could just show you the ropes around the property and the house.”
“Sounds good to me” I reply.
Getting Shiloh up and on the bus was easy enough. The little guy was excited to get started with school. Once we shuffled back into the house Hayes was up and ready for a feeding. I changed his diaper and then got him settled with Josie.
In between Hayes’ feedings and naps, Josie spends the time showing me around their house and what typically gets done during the day. Some laundry and light cleaning, Josie explains what typically happens throughout the seasons as well.
We’re in the kitchen prepping supper. Josie is at the counter cutting peppers and onions, while I stand at the oven cooking the chicken.
“What normally goes on when Shiloh gets off the bus?” I ask as I transfer the now cooked chicken into a bowl before oiling the pan, readying it for the vegetables.
“Well, his school lets out at three fifteen, he gets on the bus and is dropped off at the house just before four. Normally Monty or I will wait outside for him. He comes in, puts his bag away and takes his lunchbox out and brings it to the kitchen.” She walks to me and passes me the cutting board full of clean chopped peppers and onions.
“He usually gets some free time to play while we finish up dinner.” Sizzling comes from the frying pan, I glance over at Josie before focusing back on cooking.
“With Monty back at work he normally gets home around five so I try to aim to have supper ready by then,” Josie continues as she begins to load up the dishwasher.
“I know we didn’t really go into too much detail about your off times.
” I turn down the burner adding the chicken back into the frying pan followed by the rest of the ingredients needed for chicken fajitas.
Leaving it to simmer, turning I lean against the island counter.
“Yeah, I figured I’d stay as long as you guys need me.” I reply, with a casual shrug to my shoulders.
We spend the next hour finishing off dinner and discussing the roles of the job.
I’ll get the weekends and evenings off. On occasion, I might be asked to watch on the weekend.
Josie told me she doesn’t foresee that happening but just in case.
She talked about Monty’s parents potentially coming up, in the case I can take the time off.
Josie opened the floor for me to ask any questions I might have.
I don’t have many questions about the job, but I do ask her about what her healing process is going to look like.
Finding this out will help me know what her limitations are and when she can start to do more.
She went over how typically a c-section healing process can take anywhere from six to eight weeks to heal if things are going well.
She disclosed her complications with infections, and predicted that it might take her a bit longer to be back to everything she was able to do before.
As she goes on about it, I just sit there in awe of her. Not only did she go through labor but then had to go through major surgery just to have Hayes. I can’t imagine the shock to the system of not being able to do things that in everyday life, is so easy to do.