Sweet Temptation: A Trick-Or-Treat Collaboration

“I. Want. Cheerios,” she screams, followed by a loud sob.

It’s annoying, uncontrolled, and appears to be an attention mechanism.

“Jessa, sweetie…” I crouch down to her level in an effort to calm her somewhat. “We don’t have any. What about toast?”

“Then, I want Daddy!”

Her sobs are even louder now, tears falling down her cheeks only making this stupid problem even worse.

It’s fucking cereal, kid. Get over it!

“But Daddy has to go to work,” I remind her, my tone sharp but also laced with frustration.

“No… no, Daddy stay,” she cries, running to the door and banging on the glass, begging for Noah to return.

Shit! What the hell do I do? If I call Noah back, he will know for damn sure I’ve gone insane. My phone rings and vibrates against the table, competing for attention with Jessa’s loud wails. The name Scarlett pops up.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

“Where the hell are you?” she barks.

“I’m sorry. Noah just left, and Jessa—”

“I don’t have time for your stories. Just be here… now.” She cuts me off, unapologetic.

The line goes silent. Great, she’s hung up—the rude bitch.

Is that what I sound like when I demand her to be at my beck and call?

My head begins to spin, pain throbbing around my eyes and temple. I need to take something, anything, to calm me down until I sort out this mess I’ve found myself in.

Searching through the cupboards, I locate a container full of medication. The strongest thing I can find is some Valium. This will do—for now.

Popping it in my mouth while Jessa continues to cry at the foot of the door, Michael walks into the kitchen. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a white tee, he appears taller than the last time I saw him. He has an iPad in hand, and he’s not looking up as some video plays on YouTube.

“Should you be on that this early?” I remember Morgan berating him for using the device, so I try to do the same.

Shrugging his shoulders, he responds, “Dad said I could.”

Michael is technically Morgan’s ex-husband’s son. She practically raised him from a young age, and part of the co-parenting arrangement was a week with Morgan and Noah, then a week with her ex, Wyatt. Michael referring to ‘Dad’ has me questioning whether that’s Mike or Noah.

Fuck, my sister leads a complicated life, and this Valium is not kicking in.

Michael ignores Jessa’s tantrum. As I try to peel her away and manage to convince her to sit, she accidentally knocks the carton of milk all over the table which splashes onto me then all over the floor.

Double fuck.

Her wails begin again—the clothes she’s wearing are ruined. I take a deep breath, ignoring the escalating throb which has spread all over my head and attempt to think rationally.

“What time does Rosa get here?” I ask Michael.

He shrugs his shoulders with no verbal response.

Moving Jessa aside from the mess, I remove her stained clothing, begging her to go to her room to get changed. She stares back at me like I’m an alien until I realize she can’t change her clothes yet. Following Jessa to her room, I search her closet for something to wear, change her, then head back down.