Page 64 of Stay Baby Stay

“No, but I wanted to,” she says. “It’s what family does. We take care of each other.”

“I’m not your family. You barely know me.”

“True. But Cal is family, and he cares about you.” She takes my hand. “And so do I.”

Her kindness is too much. I pull my hand away. Kenzie’s the only real family I’ve ever had. I promised I’d do whatever it took to find her, but with each day that passes, I feel like she’s slipping farther from my grasp.

My eyes burn as they fill with tears. “It’s all just starting to feel hopeless.”

Teagan reaches over and opens the glove compartment, unveiling a menagerie of small stuffed animals. She teases a plush penguin from the bunch and lays it in my lap.

“You can hold onto Penny,” she says.

I cradle the soft penguin in both hands. “Are these Joey’s?”

“Nope,” she says.

“Whose are they?”

“Mine,” she says. “I snuggle them when I’m stressed."

I tuck the furry penguin under my chin. In the face of my mounting anxiety, it seems like such a small comfort. But I have to admit, I do feel a little better.

“It’s going to be okay,” Teagan says, rubbing my shoulder. “We’ll search again tomorrow, and the day after. However long it takes. McKenzie’s lucky to have a friend like you.”

I wipe the tears from my cheeks. “Joey’s lucky to have a mom like you. I can't believe you're only a year older than me. You seem so...grownup."

Teagan laughs like I’ve just made a joke.

“What’s so funny?” I ask.

“It’s just... I never thought anyone would ever say that about me. Having a baby makes you grow up pretty fast, but I still feel like a kid most of the time. I grew up in foster care, too."

I gape at her with open shock. “Really?"

She nods. “I never imagined I’d have a husband or a baby. I had nothing when Jonah and I met. He took me in as a favor to his sister.”

I study her face for a long moment, amazed at how different, and yet similar, we turned out to be.

“You and McKenzie at least have each other,” she says. “I didn’t trust anyone until I met Jonah. He’s helped me work through a lot of my issues. I feel like he still helps me, every day.” She smooths her lips together, like she’s not sure if she wants to continue. “He helped me get in touch with my little side.”

I tilt my head. "Little side?"

"The part of me that likes coloring and collecting stuffed animals and...” She smiles shyly. “Other things.”

Heat fills my cheeks. I have a feeling I know exactly what she means byother things.

Teagan clears her throat. "Some people think it's strange, but—"

"I don't," I blurt. "I get it."

"I thought you might."

A knowing smile passes between us. It feels good to talk to someone who understands what it means to be little. Sometimes Kenzie and I watch the kids’ channel on TV while painting our nails, but it wasn’t until I found a playmate in Cal that I realized how much my little side desperately needed to come out.

Cal. I’ve been trying not to think about where he is or what he might be going up against today. I know the guys want to talk to the man who hosted last weekend’s party, but what if the host isn’t amenable?

“Have you heard from Jonah at all?” I ask.

---