5. Lars
FIVE
LARS
Walking out of his office, Lars slowly headed toward the parking lot.
A few of the guys nodded and waved, some leaving for the day, others just arriving for their shift.
When he’d been offered a promotion to plant manager, he’d been hesitant to accept because of the increase in hours and responsibilities.
But then, he heard the salary and bonus numbers. He and Mel agreed it would be worth it.
Was it his dream job? No. But it allowed him to provide for his family and be there for them in the evenings.
It was technically more hours, yes, and he was on call twenty-four-seven, but his daily work was somewhat flexible.
He was able to work remotely a couple days a week, and he could leave early if he needed to pick up the girls.
If he had to rush back to the factory because of an emergency, he lived close enough that it wasn’t a big hassle usually.
His parents only lived a few minutes away and could usually watch the girls if Mel wasn’t around for some reason.
And of course, there was Aaron. The man would drop everything to come help whenever.
They had a great support system in place.
Once in his charcoal Kia Carnival, he pulled out his phone and called Mel. She’d tried calling him earlier, and he’d missed it.
“Hey,” she said, answering out of breath.
“Hey, everything okay? Sorry I missed you earlier. It’s been a busy day.”
“Yeah, it’s fine. Just—Chloe, no, sit down.
If I have to ask you to stop standing on the chair one more time, you’re going to go sit in your room.
” Mel sighed, and Lars knew it had been a busy one for her too, no doubt.
“Sorry, yeah, I was just going to ask if you could run to the store on your way home. There’s no way I’m leaving the house with them today. ”
He started his car, connected the call through Bluetooth, and set his phone down. “Of course. Just let me know what you need. She having a rough day?”
“To put it mildly. Her teacher said she really struggled to keep her calm today; Chloe was extra distracting to the other students.”
Lars pulled out of his parking spot. “I’m sorry. I’ll be home as soon as I can. Maybe tomorrow, I can work remotely and keep her home.”
“You know that’s a bad idea,” Mel said. “We’re supposed to stick to the schedule, not veer off the routine.”
Clenching his jaw, he turned onto the road and made his way toward the grocery store. “I know,” he finally admitted. “I just… I hate that she’s struggling so much. Maybe we should have waited one more year before starting preschool.”
“The doctors agreed earlier was better for her.”
“I know,” Lars repeated. “But I—”
“Chloe Elizabeth!” Mel shouted, cutting him off. “I have to go; I’ll send you the list.”
“Okay, I’ll see you soon.”
She hung up before he could fully get the sentence out.
The call disconnected, and he groaned. It was only Tuesday, but it had been a long week already.
He reached the store, quickly parked, and went in to grab what they needed.
It wasn’t a lot, just some necessities and things for dinners the rest of the week.
Thirty minutes later, he was carrying bags into the house. He set them on the counter then turned to go get the rest, but a small hand grabbed his arm.
“Daddy.”
Smiling, he faced Allie. “Hi, sweetheart.”
“Chloe’s crying because Mommy sent her to our room again,” she whispered conspiratorially.
Lars’s heart broke. Letting out a breath, he nodded. “I’ll talk to her. Let me just go get the rest of the food first. Where’s your mom now?”
“Changing Maddie. Can I help you?”
“Of course, Munchkin. Come on.” He took her hand and led her out to the car.
Giving her a lighter bag with a couple boxes of pasta noodles, macaroni and cheese, and crackers, he hooked the rest over his arm then closed up the car and followed her back into the kitchen.
He quickly put away the food before lifting Allie into his arms. Kissing her cheek, he carried her into the living room.
“I’m gonna go check on your sister. Stay down here, for me, okay? ”
She nodded, and he set her on the couch. “Can I watch Bluey?”
“Have you already had screen time since coming home from school?”
Unlike his middle child, Allie seemed incapable of lying. She lowered her head, and it took everything he had not to laugh. “Why don’t you color Mrs. Barnes a pretty picture instead? She’ll be home from her trip this week.”
Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. She adored Aaron’s mom and thought it was so cool that she was a professional artist who traveled the world. “She will?”
“Yep. Maybe we can go say hi this weekend so you can bring her a picture, show her how hard you’ve been working.”
“Okay!” She bounced off the couch and went to where her art supplies lay on the coffee table.
“Good girl,” he whispered, ruffling her hair then heading upstairs.
Mel appeared in the hall just as he reached the landing, Maddie balanced on her hip. “Oh, hey.”
“Hey.”
“Dada.” Maddie held out her arms.
He smiled at her, leaning down to kiss her forehead. To Mel, he said quietly, “Allie said Chloe’s crying in their room. She’s concerned, so I thought I’d come talk to her. Is her time up?”
“Yeah, I was about to go in there. Thanks.” She looked away awkwardly, reminding him of their eldest daughter when she was trying to hide something. He’d just seen her do the same thing.
“Is everything okay?”
“Mhmm. If you want to handle Chloe, I’ll go… check on Allie and maybe get dinner started.”
“Mel—”
“Later,” she said, finally meeting his gaze. “We need to talk about something, but it can wait.”
His brow furrowed. “Are you sure?”
She nodded and went to walk around him. “It’s fine. Really. We’ll talk tonight, I promise.”
Lars watched her make her way downstairs, then he went to the older girls’ room. He slowly pushed open the door and found Chloe right where Allie said she would be—curled up on her bed, crying. The sight made his chest ache. She didn’t even look up as he neared.
Sitting on the edge of her mattress, he brushed some of her hair from her face. “Chloe?”
She blinked her big blue eyes open, her pout growing more exaggerated. The large tears were very real though. With a sigh, he lifted her into his arms. She wrapped hers around him, laying her head on his shoulder as she continued to sob. He rubbed her back, holding her close. “Shhh. It’s okay.”
“Mom-Mommy g-gave me time o-out t-two times.”
“I heard. Were you not listening?”
She didn’t respond other than to hiccup.
Gently easing her back to sit on his lap, Lars wiped at her tears. “I know you love to climb, but when an adult tells you to stop, you have to listen. We’re trying to keep you safe.”
Chloe stuck out her lower lip.
“No, don’t give me that,” he said in a lighter, somewhat-teasing tone. Then, turning serious, he continued. “I heard you had a rough day at school too.”
“I just wanted to play,” she said, her cries slowing.
He wished he knew how to make things easier for her, to help her understand. “I know, baby. But sometimes, we can’t always do what we want. We have to follow rules.”
“Even you?”
“Even me.” He gave her a small smile then lifted her as he stood.
He rocked her back and forth, knowing the motion calmed her a little bit.
“If I don’t follow rules at work or while driving, someone might get really hurt.
Your mom and I give you certain rules to keep you and your sisters safe, or to help you grow up well. Okay?”
She frowned but nodded.
“Good, now, how about we go downstairs and tell Mommy you’re sorry, then you can play?”
“Outside?” she asked, eyes wide.
“You can play outside for a little bit.”
“You play too.”
Smiling, he carried her out of the bedroom. “Maybe for a few, but then I need to help with dinner and chores.”
“I hate chores,” she muttered, making him laugh.
He kissed the side of her head and whispered, “Me too.”
When he tickled her side, she giggled, and it was a more-than-welcome sound.
He checked on Allie on the way through the living room.
She was more than content coloring, and Maddie now sat in her Pack ’n Play with some of her toys.
In the kitchen, Mel stood near the counter, swiping through her phone.
She looked up when they entered and set it aside.
Lars couldn’t help but notice she seemed to intentionally place it face down; he didn’t want to ask about it now though.
Instead, he lowered Chloe, who ran to her mom.
Mel didn’t hesitate to kneel and pull her into a hug.
“Sorry, Mommy. I try listening more.”
“Thank you.” Mel hugged her close until Chloe wiggled away. “Now, go play while I try to figure out what to make for dinner.”
“Daddy said I can play outside.”
Mel met his gaze, and he nodded.
“Get your shoes and jacket.” He walked over to the sliding glass door and unlocked it while she ran to get them.
They’d installed a deadbolt high enough she couldn’t reach after realizing she’d figured out how to open the door and sneak outside.
Learned that terrifying lesson real quick.
Baby-proofing tools had nothing on Chloe. She always found a way through.
When she returned, he helped her put on her shoes and little sweater, then he watched her run to the slide. Once she was happy and playing, Lars turned to Mel, remembering what she’d said about needing to talk. All those nerves from before returned in full force.
He clenched his hands, trying to steady his breathing. “Mel, what…” He cleared his throat and tried again. “What’s going on?”
“Later,” she said. “I need to start dinner. Can you get the clothes from the dryer?”
“Yeah.” He sighed and went to the small attached laundry room.
Opening the dryer, he started pulling the warm clothes into a basket.
Once he had it all, he took it into the kitchen and set it on the table to start folding.
The entire time, his mind conjured up every worse case scenario possible.
He looked up to check on Chloe. She was squatting in the grass, poking at something—probably a bug of some sort.
“Lars?”
“Sorry, what?” he glanced at Mel.
“I asked if you wanted baked ziti.”
Nodding, he told her that sounded good. “Mel, please just tell me whatever you’re hiding. I’m freaking out, going through all these horrible scenarios—”
“It’s not horrible,” she said quickly, waving a hand to cut him off.
Lars froze, another thought coming to him. He slowly turned to face her, looking her up and down. “Are… are you pregnant?”
Mel nearly dropped the box of pasta she held as she whipped around toward him. “What? N—do I look pregnant?” She hissed the last word, clearly not wanting Allie to hear them. “Also, it’s been like six months since we last slept together. You would’ve noticed before now, dumbass.”
He couldn’t help but laugh, instantly feeling a little better. He loved his girls, wouldn’t trade them for the world, but having another baby right now, while trying to figure everything out…
“It’s not that,” she said, drawing him back. “I… I’ve been offered a job at Dream State.”
His jaw fell slightly. “Wait, really? What’s the position?”
As she started preheating the oven and boiling water, she said, “Head of the PR team.”
“Melanie, that’s…” He put down the tiny pair of pants he’d been folding then crossed the room to her. “That’s amazing.” He pulled her into a hug, knowing how big of a deal this was for her.
“Yeah, it really is.”
He returned to folding as she got out all the different ingredients she needed for the ziti. “When do you start?”
“Well, it’s not mine quite yet. I still need to interview; they want to make sure I’m a good fit, but their current manager is switching departments and recommended me.” She grabbed a baking dish and a mixing bowl. “Do you remember my freshman roommate, Carla?”
“Yeah.” The two remained friends, despite Carla moving back to England the next year to finish school closer to family.
“It’s her older sister.”
Mel continued talking about how Carla talked her up and showed her sister Mel’s work. She went on and on about this being her dream job, how it was an incredible opportunity she couldn’t pass up. But Lars was stuck on one detail.
She would be replacing Carla’s sister.
The oxygen fled the room, and suddenly, Lars couldn’t breathe. It was as if the world was imploding around him. He swallowed then managed to whisper, “Where’s the job?”
Mel stopped rambling and faced him. “What?”
“Where is the job, Melanie?” He met her gaze and saw it then—the fear, the concern, the grief filling her eyes.
“London.” She took a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling. “They want to interview me next week.”
She stepped toward him, but he shook his head and backed away. London? She wanted to move to fucking Europe? His eyes snapped to Chloe outside. “What about… what about the girls?”
In the other room, he heard Allie and Maddie playing. This was the whole reason they’d decided to co-parent and continue living together. They didn’t want to split the family up. Was she going to leave them?
Or worse… Did she want to take them with her?
“I don’t know yet,” she said in a soft tone, as if trying to coax a scared animal.
He couldn’t stop shaking his head, couldn’t stop the thoughts spiraling within.
“Lars—”
“I need a minute.” Without another word, he turned on his heel and rushed up the stairs to the guest room.
He shut the door and fumbled to pull his phone out of his pocket before sliding down to the floor.
He knew he was having a panic attack and that he needed to focus on something else, ground himself and calm his breathing, but he couldn’t.
So, he called the one person who might have been able to help.
Or rather, he tried to.
For the first time in God knew how long… Aaron didn’t answer. It went to voicemail, so Lars hung up and sent a text instead.
Lars
When you get this, can you call me? Not an emergency, but I’m freaking out and need to talk to someone.
Waiting for a response, Lars tilted his head back against the door and closed his eyes.
But Aaron never called.