Chapter Seven
Evie
Five Weeks Postpartum
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” I mumble under my breath as I try to turn my key over in the ignition again.
This can’t be happening. I was already running late this morning when my alarm didn’t go off.
I forgot to plug my phone in and it wasn’t until my roommate started banging on the door to see if I was up did I realize my phone was dead.
The last couple weeks have allowed for my body to naturally start to wake up this early, but I’m still not a morning person.
I need that twenty minute drive to Monty and Josie’s to wake up and drink my coffee.
Now I not only won’t have time to pick up coffee, but I won’t be able to get there at all.
My body slumps in defeat as I give up trying to start my car. My breath plumes as it combines with the cold air, turning it into a pillowed cloud in front of my face. Tears begin to prickle at the back of my eyes as I realize I’m without a car, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to afford to fix it.
Just as I’m about to let my emotions take over and let myself have a cry, my phone chimes.
Harper: Did you know the moon has MOONQUAKES?!
A laugh bursts from me at my bestie and her random fucking facts. I don’t know if she senses the doom that was beginning to take over me.
Evie: I don’t even know how to respond to that… but that makes sense.
Harper: right? Like if earth has earthquakes… It just makes sense that the moon does too
Evie: *laugh emoji* you honestly made my morning a whole lot better.
I watch as she reads my message, then a moment later the screen lights up with my bestie's face on it. I take a breath before I accept the call.
“Hey” I huff a sigh, “You didn’t need to call you know.”
“What's wrong?” she demands, the tell tale bark of Winnie, her American Boxer, in the background.
A groan leaves my lips as I look around at my car. The one I’ve been avoiding taking into the mechanic because I thought it was nothing major. News flash, I was wrong. “My car won’t start, and I don’t think it’s something simple that’s wrong this time.”
The line is silent, and I begin to do some mental math in my head.
If whatever is wrong with this car is fixable it’s going to cost me an arm and a leg to fix.
Which brings me to my other option which would be to replace my car.
Which will also cost me an arm and a leg.
Basically I’m fucked. No amount of ramen noodles and dollar store cleaning products are going to allow me to afford this.
“I’m on my way, you have to get to Monty and Josie's right?” Harper’s voice breaks me out of my money spiralling.
“What no, Harps you don’t have to do that. I’ll just order a ride share” I protest. I don’t need my best friend coming to my rescue. I’m a big girl and can figure my own problems out.
“No Evie, I’m coming to get you. I don’t have any meetings planned for this morning so I’m free.
” Her voice harboring no room for arguments.
Harper has been my best friend since we were kids.
When that bitch Betty Rogers pushed Harper over and made her cry, I decided then and there that she was my friend.
So I punched Betty right in her stupid face.
Harper and I have been close ever since.
“Fine.” I sigh in defeat. “I’ll call the mechanic in the meantime and see if I can get someone to come pick it up.”
Forty minutes later and I’m waving Harper goodbye as I run up the front steps and walk through the door.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” Throwing my keys at the end table, and whipping off my jacket, missing the hook when I go to hang it.
I’ll pick it up later. On second thought, I turn around and pick it up.
It’s bad enough that I’m late because of my car.
I shouldn’t be a slob too. Ensuring my jacket is secure before I edge my way further into the house.
Shiloh is nowhere to be found, a knot forms in my stomach. Guilt wracks my body, Monty probably had to call in late to work because of my fuck up. There is a faint sound of noise coming from the bathroom. Josie is in the living room, feeding Hayes. Josie’s head snaps up, concern covers her face.
“Evie, I’m glad you could make it.”
A soft smile graces her lips, and my guts twist. Feelings of guilt flood through me.
I’m sure she’s just being nice. I fucked up and didn’t get my car checked out like I should have, and now I’m late to my job.
My job that I love. That I feel so at ease in, and how do I thank them? By not showing up when I’m supposed to.
“I am so sorry Josie,” I begin as I head to the kitchen and fill up a water bottle with ice for her.
Noticing as soon as I saw her that she didn’t have a drink.
“I forgot to plug my phone in last night and it died while I was asleep. I was lucky enough to wake up when I did. Then my car wouldn’t start.
So Harper dropped me off, and I had to call the mechanic shop to get them to come pick it up. ”
I pass her the water bottle and she places it beside her. “Evie, don’t apologize, I’m just glad you’re alright. Harper had texted me saying she was giving you a lift, so Monty is just going in a bit later this morning.”
Guilt takes a vice grip on my stomach as it twists and pulls making me feel nauseous.
“I hope I didn’t mess up his whole day.” I begin to chew on my lip as I stand beside Josie.
She begins patting Hayes on the back to get him to burp.
Which comes almost instantly, followed by a loud, wet fart which causes Josie to chuckle under her breath.
Quickly I grab Hayes and begin to change his diaper so we can continue with our usual morning routine.
“Evie!” Shiloh yells, and I hear the patter of his footsteps as he comes closer.
Wrapping his arms around me he gives me a big squeeze, “My dad helped me pack my lunch this morning and he said he was going to come get me on the bus!” The pure joy that radiates from him is contagious and I can’t help but to smile.
“Good morning my guy!” I respond as I lift his brother who is changed and ready to go. “That’s so exciting that your dad’s coming to get you on the bus. Can you help me out by grabbing Hayes’ carrier for me?”
Shiloh nods eagerly before taking off in the opposite direction where the carrier is stored. Moments later, Monty joins us in the living room. His eyes go to his wife quickly before they begin searching the room and land on me. Heat fills my body as his attention stays on me.
“Morning Evie,” he says, with a casual smile on his lips. My eyes zero in on his face as he scratches his cheek, the start of a beard growing on his face. Then the thought of how his beard hair might feel on my skin runs rampant through my mind.
“Harper told me you were having car troubles. Do you need me to go and look at it?” He offers as he makes his way to the kitchen to fill up a mug of coffee.
“What?” I gape, “Oh no, you don’t need to do that, I already called my mechanic and he said he would swing by at some point today to grab it and bring it to the shop.
” Shiloh has returned with the carrier. Placing Hayes into the swing I begin to get the carrier ready on my body before placing him into it.
“It just means I’ll be catching rides, or ordering a ride share to get here, but I don’t want you to worry because I’ll still be here on time. ”
Josie has since moved to the kitchen island and is sipping on her own cup of coffee.
“I’m glad you were able to get it sorted out.
I’m sure it’ll all work out in the end.” With just those words she was able to settle the nerves in me.
I can’t afford to lose this job after just getting it.
I have felt such a sense of comfortability in this role, and I’ve begun to look forward to it everyday.
Every day that I spend with the boys, I grow more and more attached.
Then during the quiet moments, after Shiloh has gone to school, and once Hayes is down for a nap.
That’s when Josie and I are alone, and every moment alone with her feeds into wanting to know more about her.
I need to know more about her. Like how she only drinks her coffee with a french vanilla creamer, and it needs to be the color of toasted almonds, or the way she hums before that first sip.
“Alright,” Monty claps before he continues, “it’s time to head out or else we’ll miss the bus!”