Page 106 of A Me and You Thing
I believe Bree is trying to hold onto Sawyer. I think she’s deliberately monopolizing his attention in a last-ditch effort to keep him.
And he’s letting her.
That’s the part I find baffling. It says more than he wants it to. I hear what he’s saying without him having to utter a word. The question is, what should I do about it? I’m home, and Sawyer’s not a happy man. What does that tell me?
When the girls tire of swinging, Josie says, “Watch me slide, Mommy.”
My heart can’t be heavy when I hear my name from my sweet little girls. If I have them, I have everything. I need to keep that in mind.
I watch them climb up the ladder and slide down for the next ten minutes. They’re ridiculously proud of their accomplishment. I clap for them every time they whoosh down the slide. Happiness courses through me as I bond with my babies.
Underneath that happiness is a black cloud, a raging storm. Does Sawyer want me or not? He needs to be straight with me. I can’t live like this.
Except, I’m not sure he knows what he wants. Therein lies the problem.
Next, the girls are obsessed with climbing through the small tunnel at the base of the playset. I surprise them and saybooevery time they come out the other side, which they find hilariously funny. I love the sound of their laughter. It’s my favorite sound in the world.
Out of nowhere, Jordyn runs to me and gives me a big hug. Josie does the same. I hold them in my arms, close my eyes, and enjoy the feeling of my arms full to capacity. I’ve felt so empty inside without them. Now my heart is brimming. I kiss their cheeks, and they give me sweet little wet kisses back. Then they run off, climbing to the top of the fort. They wave at me from their perch and I wave back. Evidently this is a big thrill, because they want to do it over and over again.
Whatever happens next, I’ll be happy as long as I have my daughters. My happiness will be complete if I have Sawyer too.
But I’m not so sure that Sawyer’s heart belongs to me anymore.
Suddenly, an ear-piercing shriek rings out through the air. Jordyn is on the ground, directly beneath the ladder to the fort. Her screams tell me she’s not okay, that there’s more to her injuries besides a sudden hard fall to the ground. I run to her and hold her in my arms, but I can’t console her. I take her to the deck and place her in a chair.
“What hurts, Jordyn? Show me where it hurts, baby.”
“My ahm, my ahm,” she cries.
Josie stands next to me, wailing right along with her sister. I know she’s alarmed at the sight of her sister in pain. I hold her close to my side.
I take a look at Jordyn’s arm. I immediately see that it’s slightly swollen. My stomach roils at the sight. I believe she might’ve broken her arm. I hold her close, but she cries even louder. I need to get her to the emergency room right away. I start to gather her in my arms, but before I can do so, the backyard door flies open and Bree comes running toward us, followed by Sawyer.
“What happened?” she screams. “Why weren’t you watching them?”
I ignore the jibe, more concerned about Jordyn than Bree’s insinuation. “Jordyn fell. I think her arm might be broken.”
Bree holds out her arms. Jordyn breaks away from me and goes to her willingly, resting her head on her shoulder. Her good arm clutches Bree’s shoulder tightly. I reach for Josie, who’s still crying just as loudly as Jordyn. She runs to her father instead. Sawyer picks her up and comforts her.
My heart breaks inside my chest.
“You see?” Bree yells at Sawyer. “She can’t be trusted with the girls. We never should’ve left her alone with them. I told you.”
The expression on Sawyer’s face in that moment kills me. He looks at me like he doesn’t know me. His eyes are filled with questions and uncertainty.
He’s unsure he can trust me. It’s obvious in every aspect of his body language.
That issue will have to wait to be dealt with later. Right now, Jordyn is more important. “She needs to go to the emergency room right away. Go! I’ll take Josie.”
I hold out my arms as Bree heads for the door with a screaming Jordyn.
He hesitates.
“Sawyer?” I say.
Bree pauses, watching us with narrowed eyes.
“Don’t worry about anything, I got her,” he says and rushes toward the door with Bree.
