Page 55 of All of Me

Adam:

Unbelievable. You’re doing this on purpose.

A knot tightens in my chest as I scroll through the messages. Time completely got away from me. I was supposed to drop the girls off at Katie’s parents’ house twenty minutes ago. My hands shake as I type back a quick response.

Me:

I’m so sorry. I’m on my way now. I’ll be there in ten minutes.

I don’t even wait for a reply. I grab Ruby from her bouncer and call for Sara, who looks up at me confused.

“Come on, baby,” I say, forcing a smile. “We’ve got to get you and Ruby to Dad. Mommy is running late.”

Sara pouts, holding the blocks tight in her hand. “Barrett!” she demands.

“I know you want to stay and play with him, baby. But we have to get going. Dad’s waiting for you and sissy.”

Owen is already on his feet, stepping into the chaos. “What’s going on?”

“I lost track of time,” I admit, fumbling to get Ruby into her carrier. “Adam was supposed to get the girls at 5:00, and I didn’t check my phone. Now he’s blowing up my messages, and I can’t…” My voice trails off as frustration and guilt knot together in my chest.

“Take a breath, dollface,” Owen says, his hand landing on my shoulder. His voice is a steady and calm anchor–exactly what I need to hear. “I thought the girls weren’t leaving until 6:00.”

“They were going to originally, but Adam called this morning and asked to change the time. I told him I would try, but then Sara woke up from her nap, and we were already running late coming here. Then we got busy and–”

“It’s okay. You don’thaveto have them there until 6 o’clock according to your papers right?” Owen asks, running his hands up and down my arms, trying to keep me grounded.

“Right, but–”

“But nothing, honey. You said you would try and unfortunately, things didn’t work out how he wanted them to. Even if you leave now, you’re still dropping them off earlier than you have to. You’re still doing him a favor, and that’s going to have to be good enough. I’ll help get them ready. We’ll get them there.”

I nod, trying to focus. We bundle Ruby and Sara into their coats, grab the diaper bag, and quickly load them into the van. I promise Mom and Wayne we will be back soon; concern is etched across their faces.

The short drive feels endless, even though we don’t have far to go. Katie’s family is also from Hawkridge. Snow drifts lazily onto the windshield, illuminated by the glow of Christmas lights strung along the streets. Ruby coos in the backseat, oblivious to the anxiety radiating off of me.

When I pull up to Katie’s parents’ house, the driveway is packed with cars, and Adam is standing on the porch, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. The snow swirls lazily around him, but his rigid posture and sharp glare make the air feel colder than it already is. Christmas lights twinkle on the house behind him, but there’s nothing festive about the look on his face.

I take a deep breath, unbuckle the girls, and carry Ruby to the door while Sara walks with me, staying close to my leg as if she’s unsure about where we are going. The sound of crunching snow underneath my boots feels deafening in the tense silence. The moment I step onto the porch, Adam steps forward, his voice low and cutting.

“You’re unbelievable,” he snaps. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

“Adam, I said I was sorry,” I say, keeping my voice calm even though I feel like I’m going to wretch. “Time just got away from me. It’s Christmas Eve, sorry I wasn’t glued to my phone!”

“Exactly. It’s Christmas Eve,” he spits. “And you’ve ruined it. Do you even know why I wanted them here early?”

I hesitate, my brows knitting together. “No, Adam. I don’t.”

He laughs bitterly, shaking his head. “You’re too busy pretending to be the perfect mom with your perfect little family to care about anyone else.”

“Excuse me?” My voice sharpens, and Ruby squirms in my arms.

“I’m proposing to Katie tonight,” he says, throwing the words at me like they’re meant to hurt. “I wanted to do it in front of her family, and clearly, you’re too busy with your own bullshit to care about how you’re ruining the day for everyone else.”

I blink, stunned. “Proposing?”

“Yes, Callie. Proposing. And instead of being decent about the holiday, you’re late. Took your sweet ass time to get here because you’re jealous.”

My jaw drops. “Jealous?” I repeat, disbelief and anger flooding my chest. “Adam, I didn’t even know you were proposing. Time got away from us because we were with my family opening presents and spending time together. You asked me to move up the time we originally agreed on. I told you I would try. I never promised I would for sure.”

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