Page 26 of Baby Me

“Of course I miss her. How could you even ask me that? You know how much I love her. She means everything tome.”

“I know, I know. It’s justthat— “

“Look, I don’t have many friends. I just need someone to talk to, and after Brook, you’re the only person who really knows me. I mean, you’ve got Kate, and Brook has Lo-what’s-her-name, and I don’t have anyone. And” – she raised her finger to keep my attention – “he’s somewhere on a secret mission and doesn’t even have the courtesy to call me. Can you believe that? Not even one phone call. But don’t worry. I’m not lonely or anything. I agreed for Sophie to spend Thanksgiving with your parents and that’s where she’ll remain, and I’ll be out of your hair first thing in the morning. Ipromise.”

“I’m not kicking you out, Evie. You know I respect you, but you also have a way of clinging to things and people you shouldn’t. You shouldn’t be clinging to me either. It’s time you found your ownperson.”

I lifted her saddened and crumpled chin with my finger to meet my gaze, knowing I’d have her attention longer if she didn’t break down on me into a full-on Barbie-stylecry.

“I mean that, Evie,” I addedsoftly.

She shriveled her nose and her forehead creased, which meant that Evie had just had a deep thought, which was rare. “I like Kate. She’snice.”

“Yet you’re still trying to pull pranks on her. Come on, Evie. Can’t you work together with someone for a change? I know you’ve got it in you. It’s just like one of your beauty appointments. Think of Kate as another beautician who’s there to help you, except she’ll be helping you on theinside.”

“I’m not trying to be mean. The shower was an accident. One of the Bambi fawns peed on my foot when I was checking the gates. I couldn’t just leave it alldirty.”

I gave her myI won’t fall for your tricksface, and she added, “It was an emergency, okay? Do you know how bad fawn pee stinks? It’s way worse than askunk.”

I doubted that because I’d been sprayed by a skunk before, yet Evie always managed to smell like a mixture of colorfulroses.

“You could have washed your foot in the tub. You didn’t need to take a twenty-minute shower and waste all the warm water, which was meant forKate.”

“Did Kate tell on me? Because that would make her a witch, not abeautician.”

I chuckled on the inside – the way she could torment me in bed, I’d often thought of Kate as a witch. Besides, she didn’t have to tell on Evie. Kate’s scream had been loud enough to alert the other side of the country, and I’d been rightthere.

“She wanted to take a shower, and all she got was a stream of icywater.”

“Oopsies.”

“Evie, you’ve been through a lot in your life, and I haven’t been much help, I know. Just please consider that there is someone else out there for you other thanBrook.”

“Likewho?”

She looked up at me from underneath her thick lashes, pleading for me to answer that it was me. Iwouldn’t.

“It’s not me, but I’m sure you’ll meet your match one day. You’re a wonderful mother, and… you’re verydedicated.”

“Howso?”

“How many women do you know who sleep in curlers every night just to have their hairbounce?”

“Well, that’s because they don’t know about the flexible curlers,” she said softly, like that was one of her top ten beautysecrets.

“It’s more than that, Evie. You have your own style, and I respect that. It’s just not my style orBrook’s.”

She pouted again. I had yet to find a trick to stop her from doing that all thetime.

“Come here. Don’t be sad. Life is too short to besad.”

I took her into my arms and held her there. She grasped at me in the same way she usually did when I hugged her, with her arms acting like fish hooks. The last thing I wanted was to give the girl the wrong impression; I was sure she already had plenty ofthose.

“I know. I just wish it was easier. All I want is to be loved, youknow.”

“I know. I can see it in the way you love Sophie. The girl adores you. And you are family, so we automatically have to loveyou.”

“Hey.” She punched me playfully on my arm. Her hand fell limply to her side as if in despair, and she gave me that guppy look. “Sophie likes Lola,too.”

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