Page 18 of The Last Trip

So I’ll do what I have to do. I’ll be the adult here and lead her into the relationship like she is a lamb, and I’m the border collie tasked with protecting her.

In the bedroom, I open my dresser drawer and pull out the box of condoms. I cross the room to my nightstand and retrieve my sewing kit. Then, carefully, I use a needle to pierce each of the individual packages eleven times. When I’m done, I smooth my finger over the foil, erasing the evidence of what I’ve done unless you’re looking too closely at the package, which she won’t be. With any luck, she won’t see it at all.

She says she’s not ready, but I know she is. She just needs a little push.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

HER — PRESENT DAY

When Norma and George arrive, I’m still reeling over the fact that she’s gone. That I saw her again in the first place. Since we cut off contact, I blocked her number and haven’t heard from her a single time.

Now I have to wonder if she’s been stalking me all this time, and if she decided getting close to Calvin and selling him this false narrative about who she is was what would help it all.

What have I done?

A bundled-up Norma stands next to George as he checks under each sink in the house for a leak, tinkering around, feeling this and that. He’s dressed warmly, with thick, canvas overalls, a winter coat, and heavy boots that are tracking mud across the floor everywhere he goes.

Cal and I follow them from room to room with Cal making small talk, though I’m mostly too out of it to be paying attention. My mind is too focused onherand what her plan might be.

When all of the pipes seem to be in order with no obvious leaks, George says he’s going to check under the house, leaving Norma inside with us in awkward silence.

I still can’t describe the unease she gives me. The way she’s watching me, her eyes lingering on my stomach. Perhaps it’sjust that she looks so familiar still. Maybe she looks similar to someone I’ve seen on TV. Either way, I wish they would just go home. Though I’m glad they gave me a reason to send Ellie—er,Janelle—away, I wish they’d leave, too.

I want to ask her about seeing them outside the window in the snow yesterday, but I can’t decide how to approach the subject without seeming as if I’m accusing them of something, which might lead to a confrontation I’m not ready for. All I have to do is let them check everything out, and then they should go away.

I force a shaky breath through my lips, glancing at Cal, wondering if he’s feeling just as uncomfortable as I am or if I’m alone in this.

Norma paces the kitchen, staring out the small window over the sink and then the large one beside the door. Finally, she turns to face us, resting her back against the wall. Inhaling deeply, she says, “Sure smells nice in here. You must’ve been cooking something.”

“We had chili for lunch,” Cal says.

“That’s what I thought.” She smiles. “Perfect day for it. Nice and chilly.” I’m not sure if she was aiming for a pun, but as if to prove her point, her arms go around herself and she shivers. “My mom used to make cinnamon rolls with our chili. It’s the perfect little treat.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard of people doing that,” Cal says, moving to the door to peer out. “We try to watch our carbs, so we couldn’t, but I’m sure it was delicious.”

The woman scowls at him. “Oh, she doesn’t need to be watching her carbs.” She crosses the room, touching my stomach without permission. “She’s growing a little angel in there. She needs whatever her tummy tells her she needs.” Chills line my skin when she smiles up at me, and it takes everythingin my power not to shrink away from her. “Isn’t that right, pumpkin?”

Cal hums. “Women only need to gain about twenty-five pounds during their pregnancy, and Sadie’s already gained more than that.” My eyes cut to him, shocked and hurt by his words, but I know he didn’t mean them to be harsh. Cal is direct, even with the most sensitive topics. I’ve learned to get used to it. “She only needs about four hundred extra calories now that she’s in the third trimester, and a cinnamon roll would be all of that.” His face is still. He’s not looking at either of us, but peering out the window instead, as if he’s not even aware he’s talking but rather thinking out loud to himself in response to her. “So do you think we should talk about heading home? Will you have to shut off the water?”

“Oh, I don’t think so.” She waves away his concern, stepping back from me finally with a wary look. I get it. Cal can be a lot sometimes, but on the other hand, there are plenty of fathers out there who can’t be bothered to go to a single doctor’s appointment or make an effort to do any of the research involved in pregnancy. Most days I’m convinced Cal knows more than I do about this whole thing. He’s constantly reading some new book, telling me some new tidbit of information about our growing baby. He hasn’t missed a doctor’s appointment and usually texts to remind me about them a few times on the day of. He’s studious and intense, but he loves our child, and he loves me, and I’m lucky to have what my mother didn’t.

Cal turns his head to look at her finally, his expression dubious. “How can you be sure? If we need to leave, we need to make those plans now. Before it gets dark.”

“You shouldn’t worry so much. You’ll get wrinkles.” Norma bursts out a loud laugh. “George will be able to fix it right up unless it’s something major. He’s handy.” She winks at me. “That’s why we keep ’em around, right?”

I laugh softly, thinking the only thing Cal knows how to fix is a cup of coffee, but there’s no use pointing that out.

“We saw you two had a visitor up here earlier.” Her words catch me so off guard they’re almost menacing. When I look at her, one wiry, gray eyebrow is quirked up higher than the other. The smile that was on her face moments ago has disappeared.

“A friend,” Cal says, a twinge of frustration in his tone. “She came over for lunch and stayed for a quick visit.”

“Well, that’s nice,” the woman says. “Where’d she run off to?”

“We had her leave when we thought there might be a leak.”

The woman’s wrinkled lips press together. “Well, now, there was no need to run off on our account. We’ll get the leak all fixed up and be out of your hair in a jiffy.”

Glancing back out the window again, Cal says, “Well, we know how home projects go. You start fixing one thing and find ten more that need to be addressed.”

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