Page 109 of Don't Leave Me Behind
“Damn.” I settle back into my chair, grateful I’m not out a hundred dollars. “I don’t know if I should be insulted by that or not.”
“Just take it as a compliment, Clay.” Adler winks, three hundred dollars richer, as he digs into his s’mores.
Chapter 36
Loved & Well Fucked
Leni
Monday comes soonerthan I’m ready for. Clay’s alarm startles us out of a dead sleep. The nightmares are still happening, though they never fully take root. Clay is always there to wake me up.
When my nightmares wake him, he wakes me with playful little nips and kisses. It’s the best way to wake up from a bad dream and an almost sure-fire way to make sure another doesn’t come back. I wonder if Clay’s getting enough sleep, but he isn’t complaining either. He takes care of me, the way I’ve always wanted him to.
Today, when I wheel myself to the kitchen, I’m surprised to find Pepper and Miya sitting at the island.
Ma’s kitchen is made for making huge meals. It’s large and functional, but with an adorable farmhouse feel. She redid it several years ago. The original was covered in ugly blue tiles, a green fridge and orange gingham curtains. Papa Kane was not an interior decorator, that’s for sure.
“Well, that’s a look.” Miya raises an eyebrow at my cropped One Direction t-shirt that barely covers my breasts. Highschool Leni was flat as a pancake. I’m also wearing a tiny pair of Sofee shorts that might as well be a thong at this point. There are pretty slim pickings in the clothes department right now, seeing as no one has bothered to gather my stuff from the cabin when they made the decision I couldn’t stay there. I get that it makes sense, but I’m still salty at being stuck here, especially without my clothes.
“Ugh, don’t make fun of me. I’m working with a limited wardrobe.”
“Oh, I know.” Miya points to the kitchen table that’s laden with reusable grocery bags. “You owe me big, by the way. I had to leave extra early so I could go by the cabin and pack up all your stuff. Well, most of it. Pepper mentioned she was questioning your wardrobe lately, so I thought I’d help.”
I grin. “You're an angel.”
Sorting through the bags until I find my favorite oversized hoodie and a pair of sweatpants, I slip the hoodie over my head, Miya helping me into the pants. “So much better.” I make my way to the island, locking the brakes on the wheelchair when I park next to Miya and Pepper.
Miya looks down at me, eyes narrowing at the little wheeze from my lungs when I take a deep breath, trying to hide how winded I am. Standing up, she takes a stethoscope from the tote bag hanging off her chair, pressing it to my chest and then my back.
“So, Pepper, I’ve barely seen you since I’ve been back. How is it working for Brooks?”
Pepper chokes on the massive bite of pancake she shoved into her mouth, holding a finger up at me while she works it down. “Oh God,” she gasps, taking a gulp of orange juice. “Shit, shoot, fuck. Sorry.” She rubs her face before dropping her forehead to the counter, narrowly missing the plate full of maple syrup.
Her hand swings toward a pack-n-play I hadn’t noticed tucked over into the corner. Tessa is belly down on the mattress, her little fleece-clad booty sticking up into the air as she sleeps. “This is where we’re at. She has decided that daytime sleeping is more fun than nighttime. I’m starting to think that maybe baby care was not my strongest idea.”
“At least she’s sleeping right now.” Miya pulls the stethoscope from her ears and tucks it back into her bag. Patting my knee, she gives me a smile and nod, which I think means...I’m good?
“Yeah, but, like, what about nighttime?”
“Sometimes babies get their sleep periods mixed up. It’s pretty normal.” Miya shrugs.
“Brooks is really having you watch her at night, too?” I quirk an eyebrow. “Jesus, he must be shelling out a fortune for twenty-four-seven nanny care.”
“No, I mean, I’m not supposed to, but one person can only take so much. One time, she screamed for three hours in his room. I heard him curse and slam a door. When I went in there, he was locked in the bathroom while Tessa was crying in her crib. I took over then, and eventually we got some sleep, but please don’t tell Brooks because I put her in my bed.”
Miya grins at Pepper. “Let me guess, Brooks won’t let her sleep anywhere but a crib?”
“Yeah, basically.”
“But it worked?”
“Yes, and I looked it up. There are ways to safely co-sleep. I dressed like a nun so I wouldn’t need any blankets. I’ve literally never slept with so many clothes on in my whole life. Plus, it’s not like she’s a newborn. The girl moves around in her sleep more than I do!” Pepper glances over at Tessa, her face softening. “She’s so fucking cute, though. Like, how the hell is one baby so damn cute?”
“I bet he loves your potty mouth, too,” Miya chirps, swiping a piece of bacon off Pepper’s plate.
We laugh. Around here, there is no such thing as too much cussing. Even Mom has been known to drop a few f-bombs. She likes to tease me about being a lady. It’s never been enforced. When you’re raising your kids alongside transient ranch hands, it’s kind of a given. Knowing Brooks, Tessa’s first words will likely be God and dammit.
“How are you?” Miya asks, her eyes searching mine with sincerity.
