Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Aleesa, now standing in a pink bathing suit with holographic mermaid scales, was decorating a mermaid craft at the activity table. I stood several feet behind her, keeping a close eye on how she handled the glue stick (she loved trying to smear it on her palms), but it was hard concentrating with some of the parents chatting me up.
This was the one thing I could not stand about parties. The socializing.
Because I played for a professional sports organization, everyone always asked me questions or looked at me to carry conversations. My teammates that were around did not seem to care for it, either, so they either stuck with their kids or made themselves look busy.
Anyone who really knew me could have told you I was not good at carrying conversations. I did not mind silence. In fact, silence was a delicacy I thoroughly enjoyed. But since I was technically the host, they looked to me.
Do not get me wrong, I was thankful for Deke and Davina being there. They, along with my family and Octavia, were the only people I could tolerate, because they treated me like a normal person.
But Deke and Davina were sitting beneath the shade of the patio deck, eating slices of pizza, while my mother and sister were going between the snack tables and the house for replacements and refills. Octavia was on the other side of the table, directly across from Aleesa, coloring a unicorn mermaid.
“It was a close one, though,” one of the fathers said, nudging me with an elbow. I was pretty sure he was a dad of one of the friends from Aleesa’s first playgroup.
How had he even gotten an invite? She had not attended that playgroup in almost a year. My mother had sent out all the invitations. I guess I really needed to clean up my contact list.
“I tell you, that Bishop has great aim,” the man went on, gesturing with a hand to Deke. “He hardly ever misses, does he?”
“He does not,” I said.
“You think he’ll want to talk about the games?” the man asked, eyeing Deke again. A starstruck fan.
I looked Deke’s way. He had his chin tipped up and a smirk on his lips as he waved his hands, insisting Davina do something. She laughed as she raised a napkin and wiped his chin with it.
“Yeah, I do not think he wants to be bothered right now.”
“Right, yeah.” The man sipped his drink.
“Your defense was great,” one of the mothers said.
“Thank you, uh . . .” What was her name again? I swear all these moms looked and acted alike.
“Gianna,” she said, doing her best not to frown.
I heard Octavia snort a laugh. I glanced at her. She shrugged.
“Right. Thank you, Gianna. I am so sorry,” I apologized. “It has been such a long day already.”
“Of course. I can only imagine how exhausted you are, taking care of Aleesa on your own,” Gianna said with sympathetic eyes. “That’s why I believe kids need both parents. Much easier to share the load.” Gianna sipped her drink while I held back a grimace.
What the hell was she saying? She acted like I chose to have a motherless daughter.
I folded my arms, clinging to restraint. I was not about to curse this woman out at my daughter’s party. She probably did not even mean it in a bad way. Still, she could have chosen better words.
“That’s why he has help,” Octavia said, lumping herself into the group.
Gianna looked Octavia up and down, her fingers curling around her sparkly plastic cup full of lemonade. “Right. The new nanny.”
“That’s me.”
“Oh, boy.” Her laugh was snarky as she looked at the man beside me.
Okay. I was wrong. Gianna was a rude, inconsiderate woman.
“Yeah. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that your daughter is eating grass.” Octavia’s mouth twisted into a faux smile as she focused on Gianna, who stared at her for a brief moment before twisting her neck and searching for her daughter.
And sure enough, there was her child next to the mermaid tank, on all fours, face down as she munched on grass like a calf.
“My God! Penelope!” Gianna crowed, rushing away from us.
I suppressed a laugh, but the man next to me did not. He busted out laughing before guzzling down the rest of his lemonade. “Gonna get a refill. Maybe I’ll get a chance to chat with Deke Bishop.”
When he walked away, I looked for Octavia again, but she was back with Aleesa, helping her apply glue to one of her pom-poms.
“You did not have to do that,” I said, smirking. “But thank you.”
“Yes, I did. She’s a b-word.”
“B-word?” Aleesa questioned.
“Don’t worry about it, angel.” Octavia smoothed some of Aleesa’s frizzy hair down with the palm of her hand. She then stood as Aleesa reached for a container of purple beads. “Anyway, I can’t stand that woman. She’s always shooting me ugly looks at ballet. Her daughter’s adorable, though. Hope she doesn’t get sick from all that grass.”