Lie, Lie Again(59)

“I’d like that. Bye.” Lily started down the path as Embry followed Kylie, her hand firmly against Carson’s back. It was only ten past eight in the morning, but she felt like she’d been up for hours. That was the strangest thing, she thought. It was hard to imagine Sylvia crying in front of anyone. She was always so contained.

Kylie came to an abrupt stop and plopped onto her bottom, pulling her foot to her lap. “I take off my shoes, Mama.”

“Let’s leave them on, okay? No bare feet at the park. It’s the rule.”

But the shoe was already off, and now she was busy peeling her white sock from her foot. She threw it above her head and laughed. “Look, Mama! No shoes, just like Carsie.”

“Carson doesn’t have shoes on because he always yanks them off. Now put your sock back on.”

It was too late. She had already scrambled to her feet and was running for the play structure, wearing only one shoe.

Embry sighed and picked up the discarded sock and shoe. What was she going to do once Carson started walking? Buy leashes for her children? She pushed the jogger to the far side of the path and stepped on the brake bar before following Kylie, who was busy climbing onto a big wooden fire truck.

Should she insist she put on her shoe? She tried to remember what she’d read in the parenting book, but her mind was fuzzy. It was hard to operate on such little sleep. Well, it was a battle she didn’t feel like taking on. Score one for Kylie. Carson stirred in his carrier, and Embry bounced a little, hoping he wouldn’t start to fuss.

“I drive it, Mama! Wee-ooo, wee-ooo,” she sang.

“Are you going to put out a fire?”

“Yes, Mama!” She began making a loud siren noise again.

Embry glanced across the park at the play structure. “Do you want to swing?” she asked hopefully. Anything to put an end to the constant wee-ooo, wee-ooo. She was going to end up with a migraine.

Kylie didn’t answer, but she jumped down from the truck. “I go potty, Mama!”

Embry glanced at the driver’s side of the truck. Relief spread through her at the sight of a dry seat. Kylie only meant she needed to go. “All right.” She swooped her up with her left arm and began jogging toward the bathrooms. Who needed to work out when she was running with a heavy kid in her arms and another one strapped to her body? She didn’t bother with the stroller—it wasn’t like someone would run off with it. As they reached the restrooms, three teenage boys sidled to the back of the building, trying to look like they belonged. But it was a regular old Wednesday, and Embry knew they were supposed to be in school. A burst of smoke trailed them as they stuffed their vape pens in their pockets. Embry scowled.

Kylie wriggled in Embry’s arms once they were inside. “I get down, Mama!”

Embry lowered Kylie to the ground, reassuring herself that her daughter wouldn’t die from stepping barefoot on a dirty bathroom floor. And it was just the one foot that was bare. Kylie began tugging at her stretchy cotton leggings, but it was too late. The puddle Embry hadn’t wanted to see was now surrounding Kylie’s feet. Tears pooled in Kylie’s blue eyes.

“I sorry, Mama. I go pee-pee.”

Embry wanted to shout curses at the top of her lungs—not at Kylie but at the situation. At the stupid teenagers and the dirty bathroom floor. And at the park designers who had made the brilliant decision to put the bathroom too far from the play structure.

Deep breaths.

“It’s okay, honey. The important thing is you let me know that you had to go, and we tried to make it on time. Accidents happen.” She lifted her with both hands under her shoulders and walked her to the sink area. “We’ll wipe you off as best as we can.”

“Okay, Mama.”

A burst of love flowed through her as she reached for some paper towels. She’d felt it before, like a sudden ripple, as though her heart had actually expanded, but it was strange that it was happening now, as she wiped pee from her daughter’s pants. Maybe it was because she felt guilty for having wanted to shout at the world. It really had been an accident. “Okay, I think that’s the best we can do for now. Let’s get your shoe off. I’ll rinse it in the sink, and we can wash it at home.”

Kylie nodded and handed her the wet shoe and then the sock.

Embry scrunched her nose as she held the sock with two fingers. “How about I toss the pee-pee sock?”

Kylie laughed and plugged her nose. “Bye-bye, pee-pee sock!”

Embry flipped it into the trash can. “Bye-bye!” She rinsed the shoe and wrapped it in a paper towel that might as well have been a piece of paper for how absorbent it was. “All right,” she said, facing Kylie. “I think our visit to the park has come to an end. Let’s get our stroller and go home. I’ll just grab a few more towels to put under you so the seat doesn’t get wet.”

As they headed home, Embry looked at her watch. It was only eight thirty. Goodness! They had done a lot of damage in just twenty minutes. When Brandon took the kids out, he always came back smiling and happy, acting as though it were literally a walk in the park to spend a few hours with them. Would he have just told Kylie to strip down and pee on a tree? Yuck. That was a gross idea. He’d better not be doing that. But what was it? Annoying, that’s what it was. Maybe he should stay home with the kids and she could work. Then I won’t have to worry about all the pretty girls he’s meeting. Oh, that sounded awful. He was chasing his dreams, and she needed to be supportive of them.