Borrowed Time Part 2

Chapter 264

Volunteering was the right way to get her mind off things, Juliette was almost 100% of that... Plus, it'd been a while since she'd been to the daycare, what kind of a person would she be if she refused Becky's request for her to come and help?

Plus... The trailer was empty.  Esme was out with Penny to get their mind off the conversation a day prior, what was she supposed to do?  Sit alone in with her thoughts?

Horrific. 

She took a deep breath, slipping into the doors of the church, hearing papers rustling as she tried to quickly make her way down the stairs, not wanting any of the nosy ass church moms to see her.

"Jules?" She jumped, turning around to see her dad holding a stack of papers in his hands, looking at her like he wasn't sure that she was really there.  "Hey babygirl... What're you doing here?"  He asked, looking like he hadn't slept in days... Was raising Caleb really that exhausting?

He seemed like a sweet kid... Maybe he was just saving all his crazy for when it was just him and his parents in the house...

"Helping Becky volunteer." She said, giving him a smile that she hoped met her eyes... She didn't want to explain the week to him, she didn't want to talk about Ethan, about the conversation Esme had to have the day prior, she just wanted to move on and get downstairs.

He set the papers down, tucking his hands into his pockets as he gave her a worried look.

"Because you want to, or because you feel obligated?" He asked, and she raised an eyebrow, pausing.

What the fuck kind of a question was that?

If she felt at all obligated, she would've started doing it again a long time ago.

"Because I want to." Juliette said, seeing relief on his face as he nodded, tucking the papers onto his other side as he shifted back and forth, moving side to side like he was nervous.

She didn't know why.

"Okay..." He cleared his throat, offering her an uneasy sort of smile. "Well, maybe I can give you a ride home-." Juliette shook her head.

She'd planned to just ask Becky or call Shelby or Micheal. She didn't need his help.

"No, I've got it covered." His face dropped and she instantly felt guilt prick at her skin... It wasn't like he was her last choice, she just... Hadn't chosen him? Was that bad? "Thanks, though."

"Yeah..." She started down the stairs when he cleared his throat again. "Hey." Damn it.

She turned around to see him standing like a kid about to ask to go to McDonalds, like someone expecting a no.

"What?" She asked, not wanting to be any later.

"Danielle and I wanna have you over for dinner soon." He said, and Juliette paused... On one hand, that meant a whole dinner with her dad when her emotions were out of wack... But she wanted to see everyone else.

Worth it?

Probably...

"I'll check my schedule." She said, turning away from him.

"Okay kiddo." Kiddo. It felt like forever since he'd called her that. "Just let me know." She gave him a thumbs up behind her.

"I will."

"Hey! There you are." Becky said brightly, pulling her into a quick hug that she half returned.

"Sorry, my dad caught me." That was all she said... All she had time to say before kids started swarming her... It made the time pass fast, like, two hours felt like ten minutes fast... and then suddenly she was in a whirlwind of toys and germs and books with nothing but Becky and her thoughts... And Becky was proving to be more invasive than her thoughts, because she just wouldn't look away. "What?" She asked, seeing Becky narrow her eyes, cocking her head.