Page 83 of Tapped

“Grandma used to make me read too. I didn’t always like it but it made me smart, and it will you too. I’m sure it’s not long. Does she set the timer?”

“Yeeees,” he drawls. He sounds like his grandmother is torturing him. “It takes, like, a bagillion hours.”

“Chase, don’t tell your mama fibs,” a woman yells from the background. “You read for fifteen minutes. You need to be ready when school starts so you’re put in the smart groups.”

Chase groans, and Evie rolls her eyes as she lowers her tone. “You can sit still for fifteen minutes. She used to say the same things to me when I was little. Your grandmother is competitive.”

“I heard that Evita!” I assume that’s her mother.

She makes a face into the phone at her son, and he giggles.

“When do I come home, Mama?”

Evie’s eyes glass over but she holds it together. Since it sounds like Chase has been running, jumping, and has dropped his grandfather’s phone three times since they started the conversation, I doubt he notices.

“But you’re having so much fun,” Evie says in a tone that’s unnaturally high. “I go back to work tomorrow. It might be easier for you to stay there this week since I haven’t hired another babysitter yet. You don’t want to go to work with me again, do you? You get so bored there.”

Reverse psychology. Nicely done, baby.

“I miss my toys,” he whines.

Evie wipes away a stray tear, but keeps her tone even. “I miss you, baby. I’m looking for a babysitter to stay at home with you until school starts.”

“I don’t want a babysitter who makes me read,” he groans.

“It’s not that bad, Chase,” his grandmother coos. “Why don’t you say goodbye to your mama for now and let me talk to her. You can call her again later.”

“Bye, Mama. I need to go find Grandpa and tell him it’s time for the plane.”

Evie’s voice breaks. “Love you, baby. I miss you so much. I’ll call later. Be good for Grandma and Grandpa, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Hey, what do you say to your mama?” his grandmother prompts.

“Love you, Mama!” Chase yells, but it sounds like he’s probably twenty feet away already.

And that does it. Evie turns her head to the side and gives into the emotion of being apart from her child.

Her mother tries to comfort her. “Evita, he’s really doing well. We’re keeping him busy. That was the first time he’s uttered a word about wanting to go home.”

Evie nods and looks into the phone with her tear-stained face. “I know. I can tell he’s fine. I just miss him. And the fact that it’s not safe for him to be here or with me in general is wearing on me.”

“Are you okay?” her mother asks. “Everyone has been to see you but me. But if I leave, Chase will ask to come with me. We think it’s best for me to just stay home. He’s used to your father leaving for work. Me, not so much.”

Evie nods. “I know. Thank you for everything you’re doing. I’m a mess, but I know he’s happy. If he weren’t, I couldn’t handle this at all, and at the moment, I’m hanging on by a thread.”

Her mother goes on as I stand in the kitchen. I don’t even pretend that I’m not listening. “What are you doing to keep yourself busy? I’m sure you’re absolutely miserable being stuck at home alone.”

Evie fidgets on the sofa. I wonder if she’s sore from beingmiserable by herself. If they only knew I did everything I could last night to keep their daughter from being miserable, and I was far from it myself. I feel like I’m in fucking high school again hiding from her parents. “I promise I’m okay. Cadence stopped by last night. We hung out.”

“Your sister is so sweet.”

“Yeah. She’s the best,” Evie agrees. It’s hard not to bark a laugh since I’ve met her sister. Evie is sweet—her sister is a tornado. I wonder if Mrs. Litchfield really knows her middle daughter. “I’ve got to go do something with my hair before it turns into a frizzy mess. Can I talk to you later when I call Chase?”

“Of course, darling. Take care of yourself emotionally. I hate it that I can’t be there with you right now.”

It’s okay, Mrs. Litchfield. I’m happy to take care of your daughter.

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