Bad Seed

I laughed and set her back down. She was at the age of rambunctious behavior. Being held was for babies, and, as Layla liked to say, she was “a big dirl!”

“You ready to go?” Bethany asked. She grabbed her purse off the couch and threw it over her shoulder.

I smiled. “Yup. See you later, Layla Bug.”

“Bye, bye!” Layla waved at us as we slipped out the front door.

“New babysitter?” I asked as we climbed into my car.

Bethany nodded, a nervous expression crossing her face. She did her best to be a laid-back mother, but I knew it was hard for her.

“She has great references,” Bethany said. “But who knows?”

“You’re a worrier,” I said. “Just like Mom.”

“Do not compare me to our mother,” Bethany said severely. “I am nothing like she was.”

“If you say so.” I laughed.

Bethany scowled at me, but her mood quickly brightened as we drove closer to the city. There were a few shops downtown that I wanted to check out. I wasn’t sure how nice the party was going to be. Knowing Michael, it would be high-class to the utmost degree. That last thing I wanted was to be underdressed.

“What are we looking for exactly?” Bethany asked as we stepped into the first shop.

“I need a dress for this weekend,” I said. “I’m going to a holiday party at the Four Seasons, so I need something really nice.”

“Whoa,” Bethany said. She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Four Seasons? Fancy.”

“Not really,” I said with a shrug. “It’s just a company Christmas party.”

“For your new job?” she asked.

“No…” I trailed off, not sure how to explain things.

Bethany looked at me quizzically. I didn’t know how much I wanted to tell her just yet. Things between Michael and me were still new.

“Spill,” she said flatly. She put her hands on her hips and stared me down the way only a big sister could. “Now.”

I sighed and started flipping through the sales rack. I barely saw the dresses that slipped through my fingers, but it was a useful distraction until I could figure out the best way to explain.

“His name is Michael,” I finally said. “We met at this little café in Ennis. He’s really nice.”

Bethany just kept staring at me. She wanted more details, that was obvious.

“And?” she pressed impatiently.

“He owns his own company,” I said. “Making tools for oil rigs and things like that.”

“Wow.” Bethany nodded approvingly. “Wealthy?”

I nodded. “Extremely.”

“Hence the fancy-ass Christmas party,” Bethany said with a knowing nod.

“Yup.”

I hoped she would let the subject drop, but I should have known better. As we fiddled with the dresses, her eyes kept returning to my face.

“What?” I finally snapped. “What else do you want to know?”