Page 94 of Thick & Thin

Me: What do you want, Black?

Josh: Oh, so now you’re last naming me? How rude.

Me: Yep.

Josh: Ouch. That hurts. Here I thought I meant everything to you.

He sent an emoji face with its tongue sticking out.

Me: Guess you thought wrong. How did you get my number?

Josh: I went to the garage to see you, and you weren’t there. So your dad gave me your number.

Me: Are you going to tell me what you want?

An answer didn’t come in for a bit, and I put my phone down to watch the movie with the kids. It wasn’t until the movie was over that I noticed I had missed a message. Unlocking my phone, I read his new message.

Josh: You.

I didn’t respond.

Instead, I loaded the kids up and drove us back to Walterboro before it got too late.

By the time I pulled into Devin and Lilly’s driveway, the kids were all asleep.

“Looks like you wore them out,” Devin said, unhooking Jacob and pulling him from his seat.

He lay back in his dad’s arms and let out a snore that made me and Devin chuckle.

“Yep. We had a good time. Did you and Dad get everything done at the garage?”

He nodded. “Yeah. It’s all done,” he answered.

Lilly came out and woke Emma, getting both kids inside while Devin filled me in on everything I had missed at work.

It was after nine when I finally pulled in my driveway. And when I did, I couldn’t miss the large black truck parked out front. My heart rate picked up, and I ignored it while I unhooked Caleb and carried my sleeping boy up to the front porch.

Josh was sitting on the front steps waiting for me.

“He’s out cold, huh?” he said, nodding at Caleb passed out in my arms.

“Yeah. Let me get him in bed, and then we can talk, okay?”

He nodded and then followed me inside.

Dad was nowhere to be found, and I passed a handwritten note on the kitchen table, letting me know he was spending the night at Janice’s place. It was strange, my dad staying with a woman, but I was happy if he was happy.

I carried Caleb to his bedroom and removed his shoes before I lay him in his bed and covered him. The puppy nightlight beside his bed lit the hallway outside his room some until I closed his door, leaving it open just a crack.

When I went back into the living room, Josh was sitting on the couch waiting for me.

“What’s up?” I asked, tossing my bag onto the table and pulling my hair up and out of my eyes.

I tried to play it cool, but the truth was, my nerves were a wreck.

“You didn’t respond to my message.”

“What message?” I asked, playing dumb.

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