Page 38 of The Lies I've Told
My eyes didn’t waver until he disappeared around the corner, leaving me wondering how I’d hurt him.
And why it affected me so.
“The least you could have done is shown up in sweats, Millie. Or put your hair in a messy bun. Come on,” Molly said as she pulled open her front door. “I just had a baby, level the playing field a little! You look ridiculously hot. Is that contouring?” She pointed to my makeup and shook her head.
I bit my top lip to keep from laughing but couldn’t help it when she pulled me into a giant hug, causing my attention to drift downward to her slippers.
“Oh my God, what are those?” Stepping away, I saw the grin on her face as she modeled whatever was on her feet.
“Like them? Mom got them for me, so I’m guessing they’re mom slippers. I don’t know, and I don’t care because whatever orthopedic, memory foam crap is in these ugly things is honestly the second best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“Heard that,” Jake hollered from the living room, causing us both to laugh.
“Want to meet your niece?”
My eyebrows rose in excitement. “More than I want to stab a knife through those horrible slippers of yours.”
“Don’t you dare! Come on in.”
I chose not to make a comment about the huge pink robe she had wrapped around her. I mean, she had just had a kid two days ago. She did deserve some slack. But I made a mental note to send her something of the silk variety for her birthday; otherwise, poor Ruby might end up being an only child.
The living room had drastically changed since the last time I’d seen it. Scattered around the room was evidence that a baby now lived here. No, not lived. Ruled. A baby definitely ruled this place, and she’d only been here a handful of hours.
A portable changing table had been set up in the corner, next to the sofa, along with a place for the baby to nap. There were boxes of diapers stacked in the hallway and unopened gifts from people who’d stopped by while they were away.
“Wow, it’s like baby central in here.”
“This is the bare minimum. Wait until she’s older and we have a swing, a high chair and toys,” Jake said, rising from his spot on the sofa to give me a hug. Well, a side hug at best because in one arm, he held Ruby.
I bent down and felt my eyes well up with tears.
“You guys,” I said, surprised at the emotion in my voice.
“I know,” Molly said, standing next to me.
I wiped a tear from my cheek. “Look what you made.”
“Do you want to hold her?” Jake asked.
I looked down at her, so new to the world with her pink skin and soft folds. “Are you sure? My experience with newborns is limited. Well, not limited. It’s nothing. As in none. I’ve never held one. Actually, I’ve never even seen a newborn this young before. Am I rambling? What if I drop her?”
My sister’s head tilted to the side, a curious gaze in her eyes, before she answered, “You won’t drop her, Millie. Here, let us teach you.”
Jake showed me how to cradle her head and support her body, and before I knew it, I was holding that tiny bundle of joy.
My niece.
Mine.
I’d never felt such pride for something so small.
So real.
“I think I’ll go finish unpacking our stuff,” Jake said softly, placing a tender hand on his wife’s shoulder before vacating the room.
“Let’s sit down,” she suggested. “I don’t know about you, but I could use the rest.”
We did, and I could tell Molly was exhausted by the way she exhaled the second her body melted into the couch cushions. Her usual never-ending well of energy had been seriously depleted over the last few days.
