Page 69 of Ex's Accidental Baby

ChapterNineteen

MEREDITH

What in God’sname had I been thinking, sleeping with Logan again? I guess the damage is already done, since I’m pregnant, butstill.

I get the email that we’re supposed to be at work tomorrow, but I’ve taken today off, and so I don’t respond. I need to clear my head, and I go for a drive.

I don’t realize I’m driving to Grayson and Lillian’s place until I arrive there, and when I buzz in at the front gate, it’s Lillian who answers.

“It’s Meredith,” I say in a small voice.

“Come right in,” she says in a flat voice, sounding like she’s out of breath, and I frown as I drive up to the house.

When I walk inside, Max is running around like a crazy person, throwing paper airplanes around the room, and Kylie is screaming bloody murder.

Lillian comes into the living room, looking frazzled, her hair everywhere, and I chuckle low in my throat, scooping Max up into my arms as he runs by.

“Show your Aunt Meredith your toys?”

Max giggles and wriggles in my grasp. He gets down to the floor and runs up the stairs.

I watch him and then lean down to Kylie’s height.

She screams in my face, tears streaming down her chubby cheeks.

“And what’s wrong with you, miss thing?”

She takes in a shuddering breath, as if surprised to be asked. “M-my d-doll is m-missing.”

“What’s her name?”

“Angelica.”

“Well, let’s go find her, okay?”

Lillian gives me a grateful look as Kylie sniffles and gets herself together, taking my hand as we look around the house.

We find Angelica–a Barbie-type doll–wedged between the television and the wall.

Kylie giggles and plops down on the couch to play with her, and I head upstairs to deal with Max.

He shows me all of his toys, including his new block set that he’s built a castle out of, and for about half an hour we play under the castle.

I pretend to be a princess in distress, and he’s the knight who saves me.

Max decides he would like to watch some cartoons in his room for a bit.

When I walk back downstairs, Kylie’s passed out on the couch, one thumb in her mouth and holding on to Angelica tightly with the other arm.

I find Lillian in the kitchen, making coffee.

“Seems like you’ve had aday.”

Lillian laughs. “You have no idea. Kylie has been soemotionallately, and Max is wide-open all the time.”

“Two kids are harder than one, huh?”

“At least until Kylie is old enough to play the same games as Max, yeah,” she answers in a huff, offering me a cup of coffee, which I decline with one hand raised in dismissal.

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