Page 66 of Suddenly Entwined

“Stop. Enough,” Caro cries, slapping at my chest.

“That’s what everyone in here said when you walked in wearing that.”

Making Caro laugh so hard that tears leak from the corners of her eyes is my new favourite hobby.

***

Friday is an utter shit show. I spend half the day barking at people and the other behind the plastic folding desk in the trailer hunting for a missing invoice. By the time I find it and fix the screw up, it’s late. I missed movie night for the first time ever. Caro finally texted me that if I apologised one more time for missing the movie that she’s not coming in on Monday. The house is dim when I enter, the living room floor still covered in pillows and blankets from their evening. Leaning into the girls room, I spend a second watching Louisa as she sleeps. I follow the sound of running water and find Caro finishing up the supper dishes, her back to me. But Natalie is approaching her at the same time, a piece of paper held tightly in her hand.

“Hey, Caro?”

I chew my lip, deciding to hang back in the shadowy hall.

“Yeah, honey?” She dries her hands on a dish towel and glances down at her.

My heart aches at the term of endearment and how naturally it flowed off her tongue.

“This is from school. There’s a spring dance in May…and there’s a cake auction?”

I rub my chest. Natalie has a nervous warble in her voice.

“Oh, yeah?” Caro accepts the paper, scanning the words.

“I was wondering…can you make a cake for it?”

I frown. I always make the cakes.

“I’m a lot of things, my friend, but a baker isn’t one of them.”

Carolina fusses with a curl by her ear, glancing between the paper and my eldest daughter.

“But,” Caro sighs, “I can do hard things. So, why not?”

Natalie makes a squeak of excitement and throws her arms around Caro’s torso, the paper crumpling between them. Emotion overcomes me as Caro returns the hug, stroking Natalie’s hair with a soft smile on her lips.

“I have so many ideas!” Natalie says before her mouth stretches into a huge yawn.

“I’m glad. Why don’t we put a pin in those until morning, okay? Go brush your teeth and I’ll come tuck you in.”

Not wanting to ruin the moment, I duck into the living room right before Natalie runs by and disappears into the bathroom.

God, I’m in trouble.

Chapter twenty-two

Carolina

It’s a stormy Saturday afternoon and I’m laying on my bed writing in a fresh journal with a clean pile of slightly warm laundry at my feet. The sun gave up trying to break through the clouds so I’ve drawn the curtains, turned on the lamps, and am content to stay right here. I cashed another nannying pay cheque today and for the first time in a long time I feel like I can breathe. But it’s not just the relief of having money. I truly like this job. My two little coworkers, if you could call them that, are funny and smart and keep me on my toes. I’m browsing my phone for ideas of things to do with the girls for spring break next week when there’s a sharp rap on my front door. Marking my place with my pen, I’m on my way to answer it when whoever it is knocksagain.

“Keep your panties on!”

A gust of air blows around my legs as I unlock the door and find Berg filling the frame.

“Oh,” I say, looking him up and down as subtly as I can manage.

Honestly, who else did I expect would be showing up? The girls knock occasionally, but other than my mom coming for a tea last week, it’s not like I have much of a social life.

“Panties aren’t really my thing,” he says, popping the sheepskin collar of his denim jacket against the wind. “They don’t contain my things.”

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