Just Friends, Right?

This Wasn't The Plan.

Jada~

Christian wakes me up by rubbing my shoulder, "What?"

"I'm heading out. I'm going to Ryan's to workout and then to the other Ryan's to talk foundation stuff. I'm not sure when I'll be back."

"It's Christmas Eve you should be staying home with your family."

"I know. I'll be back later, I promise. Do you want her?"

"Yeah."

I reach for my phone as he leaves our room. 6:34. Why does he always wake up so early? Why does he have to wake me up so early?

He comes back with Addie still asleep. He puts her next to me and she snuggles right into me. "I love you. I'll be back later."

"Let me know when."

"I will."

He kisses me, "I love you," I tell him.

"I wish Dad would answer me. He's been gone for a while," I tell Addie as I plate her lunch.

"Da!"

"Yeah, Dad. He doesn't like to answer me when he's busy."

I go into the fridge and search around for another good option for her, "How does an avocado sound?"

"Ya!"

I cut up the avocado into small pieces as our front door opens, "It's just me," Alecia calls out.

Addie lights up. "Is that Grandma?"

"We're in the kitchen."

She comes into the kitchen as I stick Addie's plate to her high chair table. She comes in with packed full gift bags. "Do you need any help?"

"No, I got it. Where should these go?"

"Under the tree is fine. You could've brought these over tomorrow."

"I wasn't sure if I was going to have room in the car with the boys and the food. I went a little overboard for her."

"It's okay, I did too."

"Where's Christian?"

"He left at 6:30 to workout with Ryan and then go to the other Ryan's to talk about foundation stuff. I'd thought he'd be back by now but he's not."

"Did you text him?"

"Yeah, he doesn't like to answer when he's busy."

"That sounds like him."

I clean up the kitchen before starting to make myself lunch. "Well, if you need to get anything done, I can watch her."

"Would you?"

"Of course."

I slap some lunch meat on two pieces of bread and put a slice of cheese on it. Good enough. "I just need to run to the store and get food for tomorrow. I just know it's going to be hectic."

I search through the stack of mail and papers on our island to find the list I made for groceries. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I think I'm good but I'll let you know."

I take a bite of my sandwich and immediately regret it. "What?" she asks.

I spit it in the garbage and shake my head, "I don't know. It doesn't taste good."

The last time I had a bad food aversion was when I was pregnant. But I hardly ate any meat while pregnant so this lunch meat must've gone bad. I better not be pregnant.