Page 7 of Unexpected Love
The building is an old brick two-story with apartments upstairs. The nice thing is that my neighbor and I have entrances on opposite sides of the building, and even though we share a balcony, there’s a big lattice partition acting as a barrier, so I never have to see them.
It’s not much, but it does have two bedrooms and ample space for me, Dani, and her baby girl. And the park at the end of the block has plenty of green space for little Charlie to stretch her legs.
I park on the street and climb the stairs to my apartment, ready to welcome my sister. It’s been too long since I’ve laid eyes on her. Even though we talk every week, it’smostly short conversations, with me trying to gauge her living situation. The decade that separates us in age doesn’t lean toward a tight bond. But she’s still my little sister, and I want to protect her. She was still a kid when I left home, not even in double digits.
But I made it a point to call every week, just like I have for the last ten years. She hasn’t seemed happy for a while.
I let myself in, ready to swoop her into a hug, but quiet greets me.
Maybe she ran to the store?
I go about unloading my work bag and do a last-minute sweep through the kitchen. After the hovel Dani and Charlie have been living in, my place probably feels like the Ritz. I check the time of our messages, growing concerned. I told her I was on my way. Surely, she didn’t leave.
I try to call, and again, it goes to voicemail.
From across the apartment, in the small second bedroom, a wail erupts. My heart stops.
The door is closed, but I don’t remember ever shutting it.
I hurry over and fling the door wide, coming face-to-face with a screaming toddler in a playpen.
And no Dani in sight.
I pull Charlie out of the portable crib thingy because, damn, she’s screaming like a banshee. Thank god her room is on the other end of the apartment. Maybe my neighbors can’t hear her shrieks and wails. Not that it would really bother me to annoy them. The fish dinner strewn all over my landing was especially gross, and it’s time for some payback.
Charlie’s holding a stuffed baby fox that only has a head and a fleece blankie for the rest of its body.Fucking creepy as hell, but she’s got the thing clutched to her like it’s a lifeline.
I hold her close, smoothing a hand over blond curls that stand up in every direction. “Shhh, it’s okay, baby girl. It’s Uncle Cal.”
Her tears quiet as I walk into the living area. No sign of Dani anywhere. There’s no fucking way she left her baby here alone.
I spot a diaper bag in the corner of the kitchen. It’s odd and out of place in my otherwise sparse apartment.
“Did you have a good nap, Charlie-Belle? Ready for a snack?” I hope to god that Dani has packed something for her kid, because with my shift work, I keep the bare minimum on hand in my apartment.
I luck out and find a disassembled sippy straw water-bottle thingy in the outside pocket of the diaper bag.
“How about some water?” I ask her, sitting her on the counter so I can assemble the bottle. Charlie immediately pops to her knees, dangerously close to the edge of the countertop.
“Whoa there, sweet pea. Don’t be jumping down. It’s gonna leave a mark.” With both hands full of a little kid’s cup, I slip my hand under her arms and lower her to the floor.
Five minutes later, she has made herself at home, babbling and exploring everything. Between me trying to fix the fucking straw in the cup so it’ll get suction and deflecting a rambunctious toddler from opening every single cabinet and drawer she can reach, I’m ready to strangle my sister.
This is her damn fault for not being here.
“I’m gonna kick your mama’s ass when I see her.”
“Ass.”
I should not laugh. It should not be adorable hearing a tiny human say a perfect cuss word, but here we are. I’m simultaneously horrified and also smothering a chuckle. “Yeah, kiddo. Where is your mom, anyway?”
Charlie’s running full bore through the apartment, picking up every random object she can get her little hands on. It’s like she’s got two extra hands, because as soon as I remove one threat, she comes racing by with some other dangerous item in her hand.
Maybe there are some snacks in the diaper bag.
“Here, Charlie, sit down right here and drink your water.” I plop her on the couch and hand her the cup.
She sticks it into her mouth and takes a pull.
