Page 16 of Double Take

Shit. I jerk upright and stare out the window. It’s Monday morning, and I’m late for work, after being late one day last week. I can’t repay Axel and Oliver by missing more work. They’ve already gone above and beyond to help me out, and all I do is let them down.

I scoot over the edge of the bed and groan. It’s so far to the floor and even farther to the bathroom. Sunny walks by my bedroom with my cell phone tucked between her shoulder and her ear.

“Lo?” She listens and giggles. At least she’s preoccupied with playing make-believe.

You can do this. I climb off the bed and drop back down to the mattress as my legs give out. What am I going to do? I can’t go to work this weak.

Sunny runs back past my room with a stuffed teddy bear trailing behind her. “No, she still in bed.” She spins around and studies me with a concerned expression on her face. “Mommy sick?” She drops the phone down to her side.

“Yes, baby. Mommy doesn’t feel well.”

“Oh….” Her eyes well with tears as she trudges over to me. “I sorry.” She pats my cheek with her free hand as a voice at her side mumbles something.

“Are you on the phone?” My heart jumps into my throat as I snatch it from her. If Mario has found us, I’ve got to find the strength to get out of here. It doesn’t matter if I must drag myself along the floor to do it. We’re leaving town. “Who is it?”

“It’s Axel.”

Thank God. My entire body drops on the mattress. “Hello, Axel. I’m–”

“We’re on our way. Don’t worry about anything. Climb back into bed and tell Sunny to remain in the house.” His voice is low but commanding.

“Okay.” I crawl back under the covers as the phone bounces on the pillow beside my head. The fear of Mario finding us and the herculean effort needed to stand has zapped my energy.

“Momma?” Sunny pats my arm.

I open one eye. “Baby, Axel and Oliver are coming to watch you.”

“Yes!” She claps and jumps up and down.

Dread settles over me. I don’t want my daughter to get hurt, but that’s what’s going to happen. She’s going to fall down the rabbit hole of caring about these two men who have cared for her more than any other man in her life, and then, they’ll disappear.

My eyelids flutter shut because it’s too hard to keep them open. “Baby, stay in here with me until they get here.”

“Kay.” She drags the teddy bear onto the mattress with her and chatters as we wait.

“Rylee?”

What? I frown and glance around the room. Where’s that noise coming from?

“Rylee?”

The phone. I grip it in my hand. “Hello?”

“We’re here. Tell Sunny to open the door and let us in.”

“I can–”

“Stay in bed.” Axel’s voice remains quiet but holds an iron resolve, making it clear that he doesn’t want disobeyed.

“Yes, sir.” I turn my attention to Sunny. “Axel and Oliver are at the door.”

“I get them.” She slips off the bed in her haste to greet them.

“That’s a good girl.” Warmth settles over me as the hairs on the back of my neck stand.

Stop it. You’re sick, and these are your bosses. Don’t get caught up in some fairytale that isn’t going to come true. And how could it? All I do is cause them trouble.

****

---