Page 72 of Under My Skin

Me. Same. Good night. I’ll see tomorrow.

Cameron: Good night. Can’t wait.

But today is a new day, and I walk over to Cameron’s to surprise the girls with a gift and see what everyone is up to for the day. A few weeks ago, I came across this website that turns pictures, drawings, and whatnot into stuffed plushies. I immediately submitted the pictures I took of the mud creations the girls made all those weeks ago when I first met them.

Wow. That seems like so long ago.

I have no idea if they’ll even remember making them, but I do, and I really hope they like it. Mackenzie impressed me so much that day and I hope they find it as special as I do.

I climb up the steps to the front door and knock. I don’t have a key, and I also didn’t tell Cameron I’d be coming over this morning. The plan was for me to work all day yesterday and today on my project, get it done, and then spend the evening together doing our thing. Tomorrow evening we’re all heading over to my studio in town for the kids’ end-of-summer art show, where they will all get to show off what they’ve been making every week.

Finishing my project last night means we can have all day together today as well.

I knock gain, harder this time, giddy with excitement to give the girls their gifts and see Cameron. It was lonely in bed without him last night, without his warm body next to mine, his arm draped over my back or my head resting in his chest. Without him waking me up with his mouth between my legs or grinding his hard cock into my ass until I’m coherent enough to let him into my body.

And those text messages last night, only made it harder to be apart.

I take my phone out of my pocket to call him, since there’s still no answer, but then I hear footsteps on the other side of the door, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face.

Until the door opens.

All the air is sucked from my lungs as I look into the face of the woman I envied for a very long time. The woman I’ve grown to dislike very much for the things she did to a man and two little girls that I love more than anything.

Renee stands in front of me, long blonde hair in effortlessly looking beach waves, big boobs, and a tiny waist, wearing one of Cameron’s shirts that falls almost to her knees. I don’t know if seconds or minutes pass, but my trance is broken when she finally speaks.

“You okay, sweetie?” she asks.

I feel like I might pass out, like my body is going into shock and is just going to shut down or something. After what seems like forever, and the look of concern turns to annoyance on Renee’s face, I finally find enough oxygen to get some words out.

“Umm, yeah. Is Cameron home?”

At this moment, I decide that there has to be a good reason for whatever is happening right now, so I stand up straighter and find the strength to look confident and sure of myself.

Because I am. Well, I think I am. It’s hard to know for sure when your boyfriend’s ex-wife is standing in front of you. Inside his house. Without you knowing about it.

Renee laughs, and I know that whatever is coming out of her mouth next is not going to be good. “Cam is a little indisposed right now. We had a late night, if you know what I mean.” She winks at me to get her point across, as if I wouldn’t understand.

I can feel all the color drain from my face and my legs feel a little weak, like they might collapse. Before I can respond, Addy and Mackenzie come running up behind Renee, still in their pajamas with the biggest smiles on their faces.

“Lizzie, why didn’t you sleep over last night? Our mom came to visit us, isn’t that cool?” Mackenzie asks all this in one breath while giving me a hug. The excitement in her voice makes me smile despite feeling heartbroken.

I hug her back. “I’m sorry, Mackenzie. I needed to work late and couldn’t come over after.” I breathe in. “I just met your mom. I’m so happy she’s here to see you.” A huge lie that I am barely able to force out.

“What are those? Are they for us?” Addy asks, pointing to the two gift bags in my hand and jumping up and down.

“Oh, umm, yeah. These are for you. A little something before the art show tomorrow.”

“Can we open them?” Addy and Mackenzie ask in unison.

I need to get to the bottom of what’s going on quickly because the longer I see Renee standing there in Cameron’s T-shirt, the more I’m starting to believe that maybe something is going on between them.

“Why don’t you guys wait till your dad wakes up and open them with him instead?” I suggest.

“Okay, Lizzie,” they reply, but continue standing there.

“Go play, girls. Lizzie and I need to talk without little ears listening.” Renee pushes them inside and waits till she sees them disappear into the living room before turning back to me, a look of pure evil on her face.

“Listen, I’ve heard all about you. The girls talk about you non-stop. Lizzie this and Lizzie that.” She crosses her arms over her chest and I can see that her true colors are about to shine. “Cam isn’t serious about you. You may think he is, but he’s not. I know how Cam is, what he likes, and trust me, the babysitter next door is not it. You may have been…convenient…for him to use over the summer, but it was never going to end with a happily ever after.”

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