Happily Letter After - Page 53
“This is amazing. Thank you,” I said as I came up next to her.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
I looked out toward the door. “What the hell?”
“Are you expecting someone?” she asked.
“No.”
When I opened it, Birdie stood there with a woman I recognized as her friend’s mother. My daughter wasn’t supposed to be back until this afternoon.
“Hey! What happened?”
Birdie looked up at me. “I have pink eye.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Maxwell,” the woman said. “It’s contagious, so I thought it best to bring her home.”
Shit.
Renee noticed the frazzled look on my face.
“Is this . . . a bad time? I tried to call first, but your cell went right to voice mail.”
That’s because charging my cell phone was the last thing on my mind when I went to bed last night.
I shook my head. “No. It’s fine. Of course it’s fine. I totally understand.”
While I’d gotten the words out, my body was still physically blocking the door.
What the hell am I going to do? The last thing Birdie should see was a half-naked Sadie standing in our kitchen. It was inappropriate on so many levels. How would I explain it to her?
“Apparently pink eye is going around in their class. It’s usually nothing more than a little bit of eye drops to clear it up. Birdie said she didn’t even notice it, right, sweetheart?”
My daughter shrugged. “It doesn’t hurt at all.”
At that moment, Marmaduke came to the door. He forced his way past me and practically knocked Birdie over on the front step.
“Hey, Marmaduke. Did you miss me?” She bent down and started to pet him, even though he was as tall as she was.
Renee smiled. “I left my husband alone with seven girls. So I better run back.”
“Okay. Yeah. Umm. Thanks a lot for bringing her home.”
She turned to walk down the stairs, and I looked back over my shoulder while Birdie was distracted with the dog. No sign of Sadie.
“Uh. You know what, honey. I was just about to take Marmaduke for a walk. Why don’t I grab his leash, and we’ll go together. I’ll call the doctor and get you an appointment when we get back.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
“I’ll be back in a minute. You can stay here while I get the leash from the kitchen.”
Birdie laughed and pointed. “It’s right there, next to your head, Daddy.”
Shit. Yeah . . . the damn leash was hanging right on the key hook in the vestibule next to the front door, wasn’t it?
Birdie stood and wiped off her knees. “I’m going to put my pillow and sleeping bag in my room.”
“No! Don’t do that.”
Her little face wrinkled. “Why can’t I put them in my room?”
“Umm.” Think. Think. Oh wait! “Because they might have some bacteria on them. From your eye infection.” I smiled coming up with that excuse. Though my daughter looked at me funny. Like . . . why the hell are you smiling because my eye infection might be on my blanket, you weirdo? Nevertheless, I took the pillow and sleeping bag and tossed them behind me, into the living room.
Then I stepped outside and pulled the front door shut as fast as I could. “Ready?”
“Uh . . . Dad . . . you forgot the leash?” She looked down. “And your shoes!”
Jesus Christ. “Shoot. Okay . . . give me one second.” I opened the door back up, only enough to reach in and grab the leash off the wall and a pair of shoes, and then pulled it shut again.
“Let’s go.”
Birdie walked down the stairs. I looked back over my shoulder a few times, but there was still no sign of Sadie. Hopefully she’d figure out what had happened and at least be dressed when we got back.I stalled for a good half an hour, taking Marmaduke on a long-ass walk, until Birdie said she needed to go to the bathroom. Arriving back at the house, I hesitantly opened the front door. Birdie’s sleeping bag and pillow were exactly where I’d left them. I glanced around—the house seemed quiet. While Birdie ran off to the bathroom, I peeked into the kitchen. No sign of Sadie. So I went to the bedroom and the master bath. Both empty. On my way back out to the living room, I noticed my dress shirt folded in the middle of my bed—the one she’d been wearing this morning, the one she’d worn to sleep last night.
She was gone. I blew out a sigh of relief, and my shoulders relaxed. Though while I was glad to protect my daughter, a part of me felt like shit for letting Sadie leave without having said anything to her. Especially after what had gone down last night. She deserved better than that.
So after I called Birdie’s doctor to make an appointment to get her eye checked, I let my phone charge for a little while and then decided to send a text to Sadie.
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