Page 7 of The Parent Pick-Up
Ivy
After the locksmithleaves and I’ve wrestled our overnight bags from the over-packed car, I’m convinced moving to Starlight Bay is the worst mistake of my life.
I jam the car door shut with my hip, mutter a word Olivia absolutely better not repeat, and try calling the power company again.
I press “one” for English. “Three” to report an outage. “Two” for residential services. “Nine” for the sweet release of death. It’s all a loop. No humans. Just an eerily calm robot promising restoration withintwenty-four to forty-eight hours.
“My phone’s dying,” I mutter, holding it up like it’s an antenna.
Olivia hums beside me, obliviously swinging her stuffed flamingo like it’s thrilled about this new adventure. I, on the other hand, am seconds from spiraling into full-on panic. No lights, no way to charge my phone, and no hot shower.
I weigh my options. I could fumble around in the dark, or…
I sigh. “C’mon, Liv. We’re going next door.”
She perks up. “Another adventure?”
Life has been full of them lately, but my kiddo is the best in the world, content to roll with the punches. The gratitude and love I have for my daughter more than makes up for all the hard times of raising her on my own.
The only blessing in this fraught situation is that the rain finally stopped. As we trek across the street and up a long, winding drive to Owen’s, I take a moment to appreciate the sheer beauty of our surroundings.
My new house might be a money pit, but the view of the bay is absolutely breathtaking.Thisis what sold me on the house. The endless view of sky and sea stretching out for as far as I can see.
Owen’s house is perfectly charming. It’s tucked back from the road behind tall evergreens and flowering shrubs. The shingles look brand new, and the wide front porch is freshly painted. A golden light glows from the large windows, and a peek inside shows a gorgeous interior worthy of a movie set.
My nerves choke my throat, but the thought of spending the night in the dark makes me brave enough to face the worst.
I knock on the front door and wait. After a moment, I’m forced to knock louder. Still no answer.
“Fuck it all,” Olivia swears under her breath.
My head whips around like a possessed woman. “What did you just say?”
She shrugs. “You said it on the drive.”
I make a mental note to work on my muttering volume. “You know that’s not a nice thing to say.”
Her lower lip trembles. “But you said it.”
“I know…” I’m searching for a way to justify my right to cuss when the door swings open.
Owen stands there with a frustrated scowl on his face, looking gorgeous in a pair of tortoiseshell glasses and an apron that reads: I FLIP FOR PANCAKES.
“Hi,” I say, a little breathless over what those glasses have done to my nervous system.
He lifts a brow. “Everything okay?”
Olivia peeks out from behind me. “Sorry to bother you, but our power’s out and my mom has no clue what she’s doing.”
His gaze flicks from Olivia to me, and it’s obvious he’s trying not to smile. “Is that so?”
A godawful sound erupts from somewhere behind him, and everyone flinches.
“Sorry,” Owen mutters, grimacing.
It sounds like a piano is being murdered. There’s a final dissonant clang, then a wail echoes through the house as a small girl darts up the stairs.
“Hannah!” Owen drops the spatula as he turns to face the stairs. “Sorry, I’ll be right back. Please come in.”
