Page 69 of Jaime
“Dibs on the chocolate!” Jaime said immediately.
Liz rolled her eyes, chuckling.
“You always say that, and I don’t even want the chocolate. I want the sprinkles.”
She picked out the one she wanted but instead of taking his, Jaime sat up, lifting the box up for me to pick one first.
“Which one do you want?” he asked.
“I’ll take this jelly one,” I said, touched.
“You can have the chocolate one,” he insisted. “I don’t mind.”
I shook my head, but before he went back to lying down I couldn’t resist dipping in for a kiss.
His thick lashes fluttered shut for a moment, but he didn’t lean in for more when I pulled back because his sister was quiet, obviously watching the exchange.
Jaime took his donut, and we all ate in silence.
I wasn’t sure what to make of Liz. She wasn’t quite like I expected her to be. Based on the little I had heard, I had thought she would be a bit wilder, maybe a bit erratic, and maybe shecouldget that way in her dark times, but right now, she was sharp as a hawk, her gaze shooting around, not missing a detail. All the while, she was hard to read. Apart from fondness for her brother and a bit of a playful nature, I had no clue why she was here. No wonder Jaime was worried.
When Evie suddenly started to cry, Jaime moved automatically, gathering her up and getting a bottle to her in record time.
Liz was watching with those sharp eyes, still sitting back, eating another donut while she did.
We were all quiet and when Evie fell asleep, Jaime stood.
“I’m just going to put her in bed,” he said quietly.
We both nodded.
I didn’t think much of it until it took too long for Jaime to come back.
I stood, immediately overtaken by worry, and followed him to the bedroom, pausing only when I reached the doorway at the scene within.
Evie was asleep in her crib, but Jaime was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down at his phone. His shoulders were stooped, his entire body looked dejected, his eyes completely lost.
Quietly, I crept to his side, slowly sinking down next to him. The moment my arm went around his shoulders, he leaned against me, seeking comfort.
“What is it?” I asked.
He handed me his phone. It was open on an email reply from Tiny Tots Daycare. They were full.
I blinked at the reply, reading it twice before speaking.
“That’s not so bad, is it?”
He didn’t respond for a long minute.
“Without daycare, I can’t get my GED or go to school or even get a job.”
“They said Evie can be added to the waitlist,” I said gently. “I’m sure they’ll have room for her soon. Do you want me to respond for you?”
“What’s the point?” he asked, his voice suddenly heavy. “She might be gone soon.”
I pulled Jaime in to a tight embrace, holding him steady while he tried to breathe.
“You need to talk to her,” I whispered. “Whatever her decision, you need to know what it is, to be prepared for it.”
