Page 30 of Shifted

Hope(3:03 p.m.): Deal.

CHAPTER TEN

Hope Taylor

I knocked on Bella's door. Joely was asleep on my hip, and I held a bottle of rosé in my other hand. I stood waiting and heard footsteps on the other side as I impatiently rocked her in my arms.

Unfortunately, the door opened to Theo, and a small smile appeared on his face, "Hope, Joely." His grin only grew with the sight of us fully.

"I brought rosé," I whispered, handing him the bottle and walking into Arabella and Grayson's apartment. Before heading into the living space, I made my way up the dark oak half-turned staircase to put Joely down to sleep. I walked down the cold hallway that smelled of cinnamon and found the door to the guest room.

Pushing it open, I make my way to the fluffy olive duvet and lift it, tucking her inside. I kiss her cheek as she adapts to its comfort, and I place a monitor down to keep her watch if she needs me. I layer an extra blanket on top of her to keep warm.

Her apartment was ice cold. I went to Arabella's room and stole a black sweatshirt from her closet, pulling it over. "Hope?" Arabella walked in to see me intruding into her closet. I’m sorry, but your house is frigid," I said, causing her to laugh. No wonder she wasn’t cold; she was wrapped in blankets and a sweatshirt.

"I'm not cold at all." I wondered if frostbite had already gotten to the woman because inside, it felt like a winter wonderland or an icy tundra.

"Well, you're just warm-blooded." We went downstairs into the living room, where Grayson and Theo were chatting over some recent deal Grayson had made from the sound of it. But it stopped once we entered.

Grayson stood, handing me a glass of wine. "As I was saying, this guy tried to sell me some technology that was already bought, and he honestly almost got me." Grayson was a computer scientist who worked with technology. I wasn't fully sure of what that meant; I just knew he did some type of coding that made him millions.

"I always tell you to double-check with these types of people. Anyone can scam you, Gray. I have people doing it all the time." I looked to Theo, who spoke. “Well, if things went south, at least I have a lawyer in my pocket," Grayson joked, staring at me.

"If it was a really messy case, I don't think I'd be able to do things pro bono," he pouted at me. I’m not sure defending Grayson in court would be in our best interests.

"How is the firm?" Grayson asked. I made my way around the spacious brown sofa, taking my seat in the center. "Oh, some days I want to quit, and some days I love it. My boss hasn't been around much recently because his kids are causing him trouble." Bella looked at me, slightly worried; I’d never expressed disinterest in my work.

"Why do you want to quit?" Theo asks curiously.

"The hours, I'm a mom, and yes, Moms should be able to work and set a good example for their kids. But it still sucks because I feel like a bad Mom, especially when I drop her off, and she doesn't want me to go as she gets older." Bella rubs my shoulder, shaking her head. I knew I shouldn’t feel this way, but as she gets older, it gets harder.

"No Mom guilt; I refuse to hear that! I remember when you were pregnant, and this was your fear. It shows Joely that her mom's a hard worker, that Mommy works!" I smiled at her. “With time, it will get worse and then better. You shared all these fears when the little miss was still in the womb.” Arabella turned her head and looked over to Theo.

"You should've seen Hope while she was pregnant; I envied the woman." I looked at Bella, now embarrassed. It was a little bit of an uncomfortable conversation. "Oh, please. I looked terrible." Bella shook her head no and pulled out her phone. I groaned as she showed it.

It was a picture of me in my white sundress. It was my maternity photos that I did not want to take. It's not that I didn't want to document my pregnancy. I'd just never been more insecure in my life, "I mean, what the fuck, look at this bitch." She began swiping through pictures as I wanted to shove my face into a pillow.

She handed the phone to Theo, who smiled as he stared at them. I sipped my wine as he looked up at me, saying, "You looked beautiful." My heart jaunted as he spoke softly, and I thanked him.

"Yeah, but it's the freakiest process ever. I went to one of her appointments with Bella, and sonograms are hella weird." Bella jabbed Grayson's shoulder as he spoke, "Ow!" The two of them were adorable, but Grayson was a bit uneasy during that appointment.

"So when I'm pregnant one day, you're not going to go to the appointments?" He shook his head. "That's not what I meant, love." He looked at me, mouthing 'sorry' as I just laughed.

"I already forgave you for knocking over the cake at my baby shower." Grayson sucked in his lips; that was the only thing I was excited about that day. Then Grayson went and demolished all three tiers.

"I thought you hated baby showers?" Theo cuts in, and I nod at him because I did. I absolutely hated them, "You specifically told me you found them embarrassing, and gender reveals were worse." All points were true; I saw no use for them, and I was just grateful that Arabella stuck to her promise of no gender reveal, and I would have left my own party.

"Oh yeah, I did not want to attend. I was forced there, and I felt embarrassed." Bella scoffed at my words, but she knew, "What I told you I hated them, you insisted." She leaned back, curling her knees towards her torso in her gray hooded sweatshirt. The doorbell rang, and she jumped out of the fetal position.

"Foods here!" She mused, running off the couch. I was hungry, and these were my minutes of relaxation before Joely would wake up and need full entertainment. "I'll go get the plates," Grayson said, leaving me and Theo.

As I looked over again, he stared at me like I was doing something so amusing. "What?" I asked, and he leaned back, gazing at me with a proud smile, grasping the beige pillow beside him. “I don't know, you're just such an adult." I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Sometimes, you have to grow up whether you like it or not.

"I think I have to be one now that I have a child," I said, pointing to Joely's monitor. I sighed.

"Proud of you," He adds, releasing the pillow.

"I don't need you to be proud of me," I mumbled, "Nothing comes easy to me, you know that." I took a swig of my wine.

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