Lie, Lie Again(82)
Okay, have a good weekend. :)
She reread the text from Riki, searching for clues that she was lying. But if she was out of town with her boyfriend, it wasn’t like she was texting Brandon for some late-night rendezvous. And she wouldn’t do that! She was their friend. A trusted friend. Embry shook her head. Was it her own secret that was making her think Brandon was being deceitful? She stared hard at the bathroom door. It was true that Brandon hadn’t been himself lately, but maybe they were just reacting off each other’s energy. He wouldn’t cheat on her. She knew that in her heart. And he certainly wouldn’t cheat on her with Embry’s good friend and their kids’ babysitter, would he? She tried to force the hint of doubt away, but it kept reappearing. Tears leaked from her eyes.
She turned off her phone and replaced it on the nightstand before shutting off the light and saying a prayer.
You have nothing to fear, nothing to fear, nothing to fear, the angels whispered. She clung to the words and prayed again. This time, for the sweet escape of sleep.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Saturday, March 18
This is it, Embry thought. She’d woken with an amazing clarity and had decided today was the day to get things done. Riki’s text was nothing to fear. She was certain she was feeling so jittery because of the baby and the financial worries the news would bring Brandon. Getting matters under control was the only way to gain some peace of mind. She closed her eyes and pictured Auntie Boots in her mind. Yes, this is it. She might not make millions, or even thousands, initially, but this was the start of something big. Opening her eyes, she carefully stacked the individual folders that were filled with three neat sheets of information on Hart’s Honey Pops, along with her brand-new business card, and slid them into her tote bag. The boxes of samples were already packed in her car. “Ky, let’s go on our adventure,” she called as she hauled Carson’s infant seat from where it sat on the kitchen table. He’d fallen asleep in it, just as she knew he would. Like Kylie, it seemed he preferred sleeping all hunched up in the carrier rather than in his spacious crib.
“Mama! Look at me!” Kylie zipped from her room, arms out like she was flying.
Embry’s heart lurched. Her sweet girl just might be the one to close the deals. She was dressed in a T-shirt that Riki had insisted on making when she’d asked her for advice on how to put together a bee costume back in October. She’d crafted it with yellow duct-tape stripes across a plain white T-shirt. Paired with Kylie’s bright-yellow tutu, black tights, and white fairy wings Riki had found at a craft store, she was the cutest little bee on the planet. As they headed for the car, Embry turned at the sound of someone calling her name. Shading her eyes, she looked down the driveway to see a woman with a stroller.
“Hello?”
The woman waved. “Hi! It’s Lily. From the park?”
She walked toward her, balancing Carson’s infant seat on her arm. “What a surprise! How are you?”
“Great. We’re going over there now, and I thought I’d stop by and see if you wanted to join us.”
“Well, isn’t that sweet. We’re just on our way out. Maybe another day?” Lily nodded and smiled, but Embry could see her disappointment. She knew all too well how long the days could be with a baby. Lonely too. “How about you come here on Monday? We can chat over a cup of tea while the babies look at each other.”
This time, a wide smile emerged. “That would be great.”
“Perfect. Come on by around four thirty.”
“See you then.”
As she walked to the car with Kylie by her side, she reassured herself that Sylvia hadn’t come up with a crazy, elaborate scheme to put Lily in her path. She was just another mom who was finding her way, same as Embry. And besides, it felt really good to befriend Lily. For the first time, she was the one who could offer advice on motherhood. It was exactly the burst of confidence she needed.
Embry gripped Kylie’s hand tightly and paused outside of Soul Candy. Kylie’s wings sagged, and Embry felt limp herself. The visits to the grocery stores had left her hopes wilted. At the last one, the clerk hadn’t even let her speak with a manager. She’d simply said corporate handled products. This was her last shot. “Ky, this is a small store with a lot of fragile things, so you need to stay close to me, okay?”
“We go home soon, Mama?”
“Yeah, as soon as we’re done here.” She tried to stand tall, but she felt like a pack mule loaded down with a shopping bag full of honey pops hanging from her shoulder and Carson in the sling. She wondered if it was even worth it to try.
The pops are delicious, a voice insisted. Go in there and get it done. This time, she didn’t hear her mama or Auntie Boots. It was her own voice.
Head held high, she pushed through the door. An immediate sense of calm overtook her. Peaceful spa music played, and the same woman she had met before swept over to her.
“Hello there.” She smiled serenely, and her eyes grew bright. “I remember you. Have you come back because something spoke to you after all?”
“Hi. As a matter of fact, yes. Is there a manager who I might be able to speak to?”
She nodded slightly. “I’m her.” Gently extending her hand, she said, “I’m Abby Berman, the owner. How can I help you?”