Page 31 of Push

Hours earlier, when I hauled open the front door, Toby’s face had lit up. “Morning, doll—”

“Don’t you dare call me that,” I spat.

“But I’ve always called you—”

“Cute nickname privileges ended when you stuck your tongue down your assistant’s throat.”

Toby’s wounded puppy dog eyes didn’t soften my heart. He was still scrambling to take the baby bag I shoved at him when I held out Noah.

“He’s had his breakfast,” I said, “and he’s just been changed.”

“You sportin’ a clean tooshie, NoBo?” Toby blew a raspberry on his belly, the delighted baby squeal almost dragging a smile out of me.

Toby had no difficulty smiling. He turned to me with a lopsided grin. “Permission to pay you a compliment?”

“Denied.”

He quickly masked his disappointment by holding Noah in front of my face, and putting on a silly voice, he said, “You’re as pretty as a princess, Mama.”

Toby waved Noah’s chubby hand to say goodbye.

The end.

And I absolutely dreaded round two.

I wandered aimlessly around the kitchen. Maybe I should tidy up? I could wipe down the benches again. How much time would that waste?

Marnie knew me too well because she asked, “What time is Dickface bringing Noah back from the park?”

I shrugged. “Later. I don’t care what time.” I grabbed the kitchen sponge and started scrubbing invisible spots in the sink.

“So,notcaring is why you’ve been checking your watch every two seconds since I got here. Ba-bow. Try again.”

“I’m fine.”

“Mmhmm.”

My furious scrubbing only paused when the doorbell rang.

Marnie twisted around on the stool. “You expecting someone else today?”

“It’s probably Toby.”

“He rings the doorbell?” Confused, she scrunched her nose.

I sighed. “Yeah.”

“I thought you didn’t bother changing the locks?”

“I didn’t. Toby insists on ringing the stupid bell. He said if he hasn’t earned the right to live here, he needs to be invited in like everyone else.”

“Classic Tobes.” Marnie hobbled off the stool with a groan. “Should I sign for your treasure at the door and tell Toby to rack off? Or can he come in?”

Great question.

Anger twisted my insides. I didn’t want to see Toby again, but we had at least seventeen years of co-parenting ahead of us, and I’d promised myself I’d try to be the bigger person… Somehow.

I tossed the sponge in the sink. When I swallowed my anger, my pride sank with it. I told Marnie, “I’ll handle it,” but it was probably wishful thinking.

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