color of Hershey’s Kisses. “I’m normally a sane person and I truly appreciate you for not calling a mental institution to come and pick me up. You’ve gone beyond the call of duty for a new neighbor.” She shrugged. “Thank you.”
Garrick waited, and then asked, “Is that it?”
“If there’s anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
He chuckled. “You don’t owe me anything,” he assured and turned toward the door. “I was happy to help. If there’s something I forgot to write down, I’m just across the street.”
Though his words were kind, Leila couldn’t help but feel a chill—a distance.
Garrick stopped at the door. “If you need anything else—”
“I won’t. I mean—I’ve bothered you enough. I even dragged you away from your family…on Christmas,” she added with a small laugh.
He forced out a chuckle and shuffled out the door.
She watched him leave, still feeling like a complete ass.
“That poor woman,” Tamara exclaimed after Garrick relayed this morning’s shenanigans with his new neighbor. “Can you imagine waking up to something like that?” she asked her husband.
“I highly doubt you would run out in the neighborhood screaming like a banshee,” Garrick said, admiring his new watch from his niece.
“Don’t be so sure.” She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “A baby is a big deal—a lot of work, a life-changing event.”
Garrick and Orlando frowned.
“I’m just saying, I probably would’ve freaked, too.”
“But you already have a kid,” he reasoned.
Tamara’s eyes widened as her nose flared. “So what?” she snapped. “Sleep deprivation, constant feedings, and an endless assembly line of diaper changes are not my idea of fun.”
Orlando looked stunned. “I thought we were going to try for a boy?”
“Not right now,” she said, folding her arms. “I want to go back to school and start my own business.”
“You want to become a career woman?” Garrick said, unable to keep the disappointment out of his voice. “Why would you want to do that?”
“Can’t you conquer the world after I have my son?” Orlando added.
Tamara ignored her husband and turned her attention back to Garrick. “And what’s wrong with a woman wanting a career? This is the twenty-first century. We don’t all want to be barefoot and pregnant or devote our entire lives to being housewives. At least I don’t.”
“I’m not saying you should,” Garrick defended. “I just think—”
“Ah.” Tamara set down her glass of Coke and pointed a finger at Garrick. “I know what this is about.”
“No. No.” Garrick quickly held up his hands and shook his head.
“Yes. Yes. This is about Miranda,” Tamara accused, and then rocked back with a hearty laugh. “That’s why you want to steer away from career women.”
Garrick and Orlando looked guiltily at each other.
“I don’t have a problem with career women,” he denied. At Tamara’s dubious stare, he added, “I just don’t want to marry another one.”
“Uh-huh.” Tamara crossed her arms. “Your neighbor is right. You are a sexist pig.”
“What?” Garrick glanced at his brother for help, but saw Orlando looking around as if he didn’t want any part of the conversation. “Okay, yes. There were some lessons learned from my marriage. The main one—I want a family, and people who want families should not marry those who don’t.”
“Women can have a career and a family.”
Garrick laughed. “That’s a myth.”
“What?”
He looked to his brother again.
“You’re on your own, bro,” Orlando laughed. “I live with her.”
Tamara smote her husband with a look and he quickly fell silent again.
“Fine. I’ll go it alone.” Garrick met Tamara’s gaze. “I don’t know who sold women on the idea they could have it all, but it’s not true. It’s impossible to run a business and a household harmoniously and successfully. Something has to give and Leila Owens is going to learn that real soon.”
“Okay, little Emma.” Leila drew a deep breath and slipped on a pair of yellow rubber gloves. “Let’s change your diaper.”
Emma squirmed on the sofa and rewarded her aunt with a gummy smile.
Leila’s heart squeezed and she grudgingly smiled back. However, her lips curled the other direction the moment she peeled back the diaper. “Good Lord, what was in that bottle?”
Emma giggled and kicked her legs.
“Oh, child. Please don’t do that.” She tried to catch the baby’s legs; but she wasn’t successful until after Emma had made a bigger mess. Success came after a half box of baby wipes and a mushroom cloud of baby powder. Other than that— “Perfect!”
Leila lifted Emma and then watched in dismay as her creation slid off the child’s heinie. Of course, her niece chose that moment to pee all over her white sofa.
“Goddamn it, Sam.”
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