Page 90 of Emerson

“Emery, open up.”

“Emery’s not here right now, but if you'd like to leave a message, say your shit after the beep.”

“Emery…”

“Beeeeeeep.”

“I'm using my key,” he warns a moment before I hear the metal sliding into the lock. I shove more popcorn in my mouth and ignore the behemoth completely.

That is, until he stands directly in my line of sight, blocking the TV.

And he's got a fucking child in his arms.

“Oh my God, Warren. Kidnapping is probably a federal crime!” I set the bowl off to the side and sit forward.

“Probably?” he says, talking a lot softer than I just did. He rubs his big hand down the kid’s back and looks under the rainbow hood at their face. “Stop yelling, or you'll wake her up.”

“Her? Her who?” I hiss, jumping to my feet and moving closer to him. Slowly, though, like one might approach a potential bomb threat.

I skitter right back with my hands flying to my mouth when I see one familiar blonde curl poking out the side of the hood.

“Warren, is that Penelope Lee Montgomery in your arms right now?”

My big brother rests his cheek on top of the girl’s head and nods. That’s it. Doesn’t immediately explain himself as to why or for what fucking reason he brought her to my place.

Then two things happen.

I see the look on his face.

And I see the diaper bag.

The look reads a whole lot like a sheepish, guilty look, and I do not like the implication of it paired with the diaper bag hanging over his shoulder.

“Warren…”

“She has another ear infection and was miserable at daycare.”

I throw my hands out and try not to fucking panic.

“What does that have to do with me?”

“Sabrina has been so stressed out since Dillon left. She’s trying to do it all, but she has a pop-up event for her boutique at some market today. I told her I would pick Penny up, but Ian hurt himself at the gym, so I have to go take over.”

It takes too long to come up with a plausible excuse.

I have popcorn to finish and a movie to cry over just doesn’t seem good enough. Warren holds her with one arm and takes the diaper bag off his shoulder, setting it down.

“What…what are you asking of me right now?”

“Zane can’t watch her at the station, Em. It’s not safe for her to run around at the gym. Morgan is at work. Just for a few hours, man. Please? It’ll be fine.”

And the Universe is a sick and twisted bitch, because it’s then that the little thing on his chest lifts her head, and I watch in horror as she rubs one tiny fist into an eye and looks back at me.

“Unc Em,” she says sleepily.

Warren kisses the side of her head like someone who has been close to her since she was born. Which he has. He sets her on her small feet, and if I wasn’t so freaked out currently, I would probably be able to appreciate how damn cute a tiny pair of pink Converse sneakers are.

“Warren, this is a bad idea. I don’t know how to…does she even know how to tell me what she needs? What if she needs her diaper changed? Warren? Oh my God.” He’s already walking back towards my apartment door.