Page 47 of Play With Me

On cue, my younger brother Jax stepped through the bedroom door and nodded.

“She has a funny name.” Sophie hopped up on my bed.

“Some people think I have a funny name too. Lots of people have funny names.”

Sophie’s nose scrunched up into tiny waves.

“Like what you call Mommy?”

Barbie?

My ex-wife fit the nickname from the tips of her sharp nails all the way up to her blonde curls and then down to her short skirts and high heels. Sometimes, I questioned my judgment when I thought back to the time I jumped in with two feet. By the time I realized what had happened, it was too late. What was supposed to be a one-night stand turned out to be a mistake. The only credit I could give her was that in her own demented way, she cared about Sophie. She really loved her.

“Yes, but remember, you don’t call her Barbie, you call her Mommy because…?”

“Respect.”

“Good girl. Okay, kid.” I lifted Sophie to my lap and set her down. “Just the way we practiced. You’re my niece.”

Sophie looked from me to my brother and she grinned, squeezing the new Hulk toy into her chest.

“And Uncle Jax is my daddy.”

“Yes, but don’t call him uncle.”

She rolled her eyes. “Dad, I’m seven going on eight. I’m not stupid.”

My eyebrows rose, and she lowered her head.

“Sorry, Uncle Brook.”

“Hey, baby girl. Don’t look down. Remember that you’re not just seven. You’re a sassy seven.”

Sophie giggled. “What if Mommy finds out?”

“Who’s gonna tell her? This will be our little secret. You and me, we’re the best secret keepers in this world.”

“We are. Don’t forget Uncle Jax.”

“Yes, Uncle Jax too.”

“What if Lola doesn’t like me?” She thought for a moment, and then waved her hand. “Nah. If I can swindle Grandpa for twenty bucks, I can trick Lola to like me. I like that funny name. It’s much better than Barbie.”

I didn’t even want to know where she’d learned how to swindle my father – or the wordswindle, for that matter – but her grandmother was a good guess.

“Just stay clear of Lola, and don’t let Mom hear that, all right?”

She nodded just as right on cue, I heard Dean laugh in the downstairs hall. He was keeping Lola company while I checked in on Sophie. Cold sweats of anxiety ran down my spine, and I shook them off. I’d already gone over the conversation with my brother, who’d almost peed his pants when I asked him to pretend to be Sophie’s dad. My parents weren’t thrilled with the idea either, but they had their own troubles to worry about, so they told me to make sure I had a big enough shovel for when it was time to clean up all the shit that would eventually hit the fan. I was afraid that with Lola, I would need something much larger than a shovel. A dump truck, perhaps?

But I didn’t see how this could go wrong. My plan to find Xavier was working, and getting Lola out of that house worked as well, so maybe I was on a lucky streak. Lola just needed convincing that kids didn’t bite. Well, some did, but not Sophie. This was just a temporary fib so that Lola could open her heart to my little girl; nothing else. A few hours and she’d fall in love with her the way everyone else did.

“I don’t think she’ll ask you any questions, but if she does, they may be tricky.”

“Again, I’m seven. Over seven and a half if it makes you feel better. I’m definitely ready for this. Promise.” She held out her pinkie and hooked it with mine.

I shook on it as Dean’s laugh echoed again. I helped Sophie off the bed. She went over to Jax and took his hand, saying, “Come on, Daddy. Let’s go meet Uncle Brook’s girlfriend, Lola.”

Jax burst out in laughter at Sophie’s rehearsed tone, and I shook my head.

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