11
RIVER WINFREY
I stop rocking Scarlett when I hear Leighton’s voice. I almost call out to her because I think she’s talking to me, but then her voice gradually becomes louder. And I pick up on what’s happening.
She’s arguing with someone.
I don’t care if you forget what you did or not. It means nothing to me. Nothing!
This conversation isn’t for my ears. I shouldn’t be listening, but I’m curious to know who she’s talking to. Instinct tells me that it’s her ex-husband. And I don’t care for that one bit. He treated her horribly and doesn’t deserve a minute of her time.
I’m motionless in an attempt to pick up on what she’s saying, but Scarlett whimpers, drowning out the little bit of conversation that I could hear.
“Shh…” I get up and bring Scarlett to my shoulder. I rub her back with my palm in a circular motion the way I’ve seen Leighton do while shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Leighton’s little trick is effective and Scarlett falls asleep quickly.
“Sweet dreams, baby girl.” I kiss the top of her head and place her inside the crib.
I stop and listen intently. Silence is the only thing that I hear on the other side of the door.
Maybe I shouldn’t but I want to check on Leighton. Make sure that her ex didn’t upset her… if that’s who she was talking to.
I knock and there’s a pause before she replies. “Come in.”
I open the door and she sniffles. It’s impossible to not see the redness in her eyes. “Miss prissy pants went down without a fight?”
“She fought it for a minute, but she was no match for her old man.”
“She’s gotten used to you doing everything for her this week. She’s going to miss you.”
“I’m going to miss her like crazy.” Both of you.
“What time are you leaving in the morning?”
“Bus pulls out at seven.” Scarlett has been sleeping a little later lately. She probably won’t be awake before I leave in the morning.
I don’t know how in the hell I’m going to walk out of this house in the morning knowing that she won’t be the same baby when I come back.
I could kill Doug. Not only did the asshole rebook concerts without talking to me, he scheduled them back-to-back. I barely get a break before we’re off to the next city for another show. He left me no time in between to come home. I’m literally going to leave in the morning and not set foot in this house again until July. My daughter is going to be six months old the next time I see her.
“Promise me that you’ll FaceTime me every day so I can see Scarlett Leighton… and so she can see me and hear my voice.”
“I will. Every day.”
She sniffles and looks up, dragging her fingertips across the top of her cheekbones. “I’m sorry.”
She looks down, hiding her face from me.
“What’s wrong?”
She wipes away more tears from her cheeks and shakes her head.
I cross the room and sit on the edge of the bed next to her. “I heard you on the phone arguing with someone. Your ex-husband?”
She nods. “Yes, but that’s not what is upsetting me. I couldn’t care less about that jackass.” She looks up at me, and I see true heartache and agony in her eyes. “Tomorrow is my daughter’s birthday.”
Shit. It’s Sadie’s birthday, and I’m scheduled to walk out on Leighton?
“I’m sorry. I had no idea that it was tomorrow.”