Page 13 of Staying for You

“I think she needs changed, too. I just wasn’t sure where her things are,” Cami says, looking down at Issy. She gently lifts Brody off her lap so he’s standing and I reach down to take Issy from her so Cami can stand herself.

“No worries. I’ll get it. Thank you for your help. I mean it. It just all kind of happened at once.”

“It’s okay. I have a brother with Irish twins.”

“What’s that?”

“When kids are born basically one year apart. Anyway, I know how it is. Now they’re a bit older but his wife always said sometimes she thought actual twins would be easier. One was always just a few steps ahead of the other in development and it made it hard to keep up.”

I lay Issy back on the dresser to change her diaper. “Ahh. Yeah. That’s actually spot on. It’s like I know Brody can walk and play differently than Issy can but she needs quite a bit of help yet.”

“They’re adorable.”

I grin and finish up changing Issy then lift her in my arms, resting her on my forearm so she’s looking out, back against my chest, feet dangling over my arm.

“I’m sure I’m a bit biased but I tend to agree.”

Cami walks over and runs the back of her finger down Issy’s cheek and I watch her expression soften almost to what I would call longing.

“No kids of your own?” she asks, eyes still focused on the baby in my arms.

“Ha! No. I’d have to actually be in a relationship — or, you know, be around people for that to happen.”

“You don’t want kids?”

“It’s not that,” I say and turn away from her and gesture for her to follow me so I can get a bottle ready for Issy and a small snack for Brody to tide him over until dinner in an hour.

I grab an empty bottle off the draining rack and fill it up. Issy’s legs kick and kick with excitement. After grabbing a sippy cup of milk out of the fridge for Brody and a small bowl of Goldfish crackers, Cami follows me into the living area where I sit back in the recliner and feed Issy her bottle. She’s old enough to hold it herself, but I like to do it. Soon she’ll be gone and the next time I see her she’ll probably not even be drinking out of bottles anymore.

Brody sits down on the floor beside my feet and munches away on his crackers and sucks down his milk like I’ve been dehydrating him.

Remembering the last thing she asked me, I turn to Cami who’s taken a seat on the couch off to the side of me. “Someday, sure. But I like living here for right now. I enjoy being away from it all. I have goals for the resort which means I don’t allow myself a lot of time to date or get to know many people outside of the guests who come here.”

“What kind of goals?”

I lay my head back on the headrest of the chair and push with my feet so it rocks back and forth just slightly. “My main goal is to help build family connections. I hate technology.”

“You hate technology?” she asks, tucking her feet under her butt.

“Not all technology, but most, yeah. I mean, I love electricity and plumbing. Internet is convenient, of course. But for the most part, I feel like we’re too reliant on it. So many of us live and breathe by our phones.”

“You don’t?”

I shake my head. “I’ve made it a point not to. I’d rather be looking up at the world than down at a device in my hand. I can’t stand the thought of being controlled by social media or the need to constantly be on,” I explain.

She nods, brushing a hand down her thigh. “I feel like I understand that more than I expected to.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, turning my head to the side and switching Issy to the other arm.

“If I would have heard last week that social media and our cell phones were trouble, I would have laughed. Now, though? Not so much. I see it. It’s a dangerous rabbit hole, huh?”

I shrug one shoulder. “Honestly, I’ve never allowed myself to get there. I only have social media for The Escape, nothing personal. So it’s not as if I’m scrolling through or updating about my life.”

“Never been an interest to you?”

“Nope. Thank goodness.” Issy finishes the last of her bottle and lets out a very unladylike belch then squirms to be put down on the floor so she can torment Brody by trying to steal his snack. It’s a fun game she plays that makes me laugh.

Issy scoots on her butt to get as close as she can then stares at Brody, reaching out a hand to try to grab a cracker. He pulls his bowl of Goldfish crackers close to his chest and scowls at her saying, “No, no.” It has no effect on her. She just giggles and claps.

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