Page 2 of Ward
“Yeah, you said that, Ward,” he grumps into the phone, then the call disconnects.
I glare up at my ceiling, releasing a deep sigh.
“Pone!” Laney squeals in my ear, causing me to look down at her little finger pointing at it in my hand, and I can’t help but smile.
“Good girl, yes, that was a phone call. I just have to make two more quick ones.”
“Down!” Her demeanor switches in the blink of an eye from sweet and cheerful to red-in-the-face adamant about being set down.
“If I let you down, you’re not going to go break the house?”
“Down!” she says again with her blond brow furrowed in fierce determination, borderline anger.
“Okay, okay.” I put her down on her feet and she folds over onto her knees and crawls out of my room with lightning speed.
There goes trouble.
I feel bad calling Hearth on her babymoon, but I hope to make it quick. It would be easier if I just had some family around I could drop Laney off to. I don’t. I lost my family. There’s only one other woman in a twenty-five-mile radius I know well enough to even consider for this.
“So you don’t mind?” I double-check with Hearth after asking her permission.
“Of course not, I adore Yvette! I know she’s kind of…”
“Kooky, crazy?” I offer. “Sets everything on fire like,all the time?”
“Oh, she’ll be careful. I’m sure she will be. I don’t know, I just can’t help this feeling I get whenever I’m around her. It’s like I feel comfortable and safe, somehow. Or maybe just seen…?”
I have a feeling Hearth could go on like this for a while, and it’s not that I’m not interested, but the clock is kind of ticking. “I’ll call her now then,” I interrupt as politely as I can.
“Great, yes! As long as it’s okay with her to watch Laney a bit, it’s okay with me! Oh I bet Laney’ll have so much fun!”
“Someone’s having a good time.” I smile. “You sound great, Hearth.”
“Oh gosh, yes, it’s been amazing. Thank you again for watching Laney for us, Ward.”
“It’s really no problem.”
“I hate to say this as a mom, but sometimes it feels good to just get abreak.”
“Uuuuhhh ohhhh!” I hear in a high-pitched voice from the other room.
“Oh, I get it,” I say, chuckling. I follow Laney’s path through the carpet to see what she got into.
“Let me know what Yvette says, will you?” Hearth asks before ending the call.
“Sure thing, of course.” Hanging up, I look over at Laney’s who’s got all the pots and pans and lids dug out from the lower kitchen cabinet.
“Uh oh,” she repeats, prompting a response from me.
“I’ve just got to make one more phone call, then we’ll put this all back.”
“Pone!” she claps.
“Yes, thank you,” I say a bit deadpan, running out of replies.
I take another deep breath, my fifth or sixth one in the span of what, fifteen minutes? Christ the time goes by fast. I’ve got to get moving. I’m not at Hank’s beck and call, but if I’m going to be at his house for a bit, I’d prefer he be in a decent mood. I’m not sure if Hank even has that setting, but I’d rather not test his patience.
I call Yvette, and her lyrical voice picks up right away. “Why, hello, hello, Ward.”
