Page 31 of Risky Game

For that, and the fact I’d grown to like Ruby’s company even more, I wasn’t getting rid of her.

Ruby rolled her eyes and shook her head at me behind Amelia’s back.

“Nothing fun?” I asked and grabbed the piece of paper on the counter. I scanned the list. There were always the typical activities Ruby did during the day like morning cartoons, coloring books, reading books to her. One day she’d taught Amelia how to make slime, and even though Amelia said she thought it was gooey and icky, I’d caught her playing with it several times in her bathroom before I went to help her with a bath.

Something caught my eye on the list, and I gave Amelia wide eyes. “You played in dirt today?”

She held up her hands, dirt still stuck beneath a few of her fingernails. “Miss Ruby said we needed a garden.”

“Well, that sounds fun.”

“She made me plant stuff.” She crossed her arms and huffed. And for real, my daughter was so damn cute even when upset it was hard to fight the smile and take her seriously.

I nodded equally serious. “Sounds absolutely miserable and horrific.”

“It wasn’t that bad,” she said, and almost like she realized what she was admitting to, she flipped her head around and looked at Ruby. “But it was not fun.”

“I know. I’m sorry I made you plant a garden that will bring you lots of butterflies to chase when the flowers grow big and tall and full of fun colors. It will never happen again.”

Had to hand it to Ruby. She spoke to Amelia like she wasn’t desperate to get this girl to like her as well as remind her of what was coming. Amelia gave her a look like she didn’t know whether to argue with her or not, and that alone was progress.

“A butterfly garden?” I asked.

Ruby cut in. “It’s probably too late in the year, but they’re perennials, so they’ll come back next year, and when we were playing in the yard the other day, I felt sad for those empty garden beds. I also planted some herbs. Figured it’s too late in the summer for most things, but you should still be able to get some fresh herbs out of it.”

“Yes, I’m sure they’re miserable too,” I teased her.

“Boxes can’t be miserable, Daddy.” Amelia tugged on my arm.

I couldn’t do anything right today. I kissed her forehead, set her on the floor, and waited until she ran off, ignoring the last remark.

“No better today?” I asked Ruby after Amelia disappeared up the stairs to her room.

“She was actually doing okay, laughing and being silly with me when we went to the store to buy the seeds and dirt, but Vanessa called when we got home and were preparing for lunch.”

“Did you talk to her?”

“Vanessa?”

“Yeah.”

“No, as soon as I saw it was her, I handed the phone to Amelia. But after they got done talking, she told me the garden was dumb and she pouted while we tried to finish it up.”

Okay, so she missed her mom. That made total sense. “Did she say anything?”

“Vanessa said she was coming back here when her trip was over. Amelia hasn’t wanted anything to do with me since.”

“Here here?” I pointed my finger toward my own floor.

Ruby shrugged and pressed her lips together. “That’s what she said.”

“Damn.” I rubbed my hand across my forehead. “I need to get ahold of her. I’ve tried calling, but with the time difference, it’s been hard. She’s called me back when I don’t have my phone on me. I’ll call her this weekend and figure this out.”

I’d felt better after talking to my parents last weekend. They assured me they’d only stayed at Vanessa’s house one night while she had a date. It’d helped relieve the worry I had about some of the things Amelia had been saying. Simple miscommunication. It had to be. But somewhere along the way, my little girl was getting the idea Mommy was moving back with Daddy, at least that was how it felt, and it always happened after she talked to Vanessa.

“If it makes you feel better”—Ruby smiled—“she didn’t hate her French toast this morning.”

Her favorite breakfast. Ruby had made it three times and every time she made it, Amelia told her it wasn’t good and Daddy’s was still better. The first morning I’d left them alone, she’d refused to eat it, saying she hated it.

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