What The Heart Wants

Chapter 10

Emily grabbed her towel, whipped it around her body, stepped to the bathroom door and shoved it shut. That is, as soon as she recovered from her shock. She and Alison stood there staring at each other which seemed like forever.

Only then did she sink to the toilet seat and hit her forehead with the heel of her hand. Never in her life has she been so embarrassed. Not even the day she wore white jeans on the tour bus and got her first period. Except for her and her mom, everyone on that bus was a guy. Emily just knew all those rockers had seen her shame – and okay, on the second thought, that might have been worse.

But this... this was plenty bad.

The look on Alison's face. Like someone had just dropped a safe on her head.

God. Alison had seen her naked. That was so wrong. In all the ways that really counted, she was Camila's sister and a person should never see his wife's sister naked.

Seriously. Would it have killed her to have shut the damn bathroom door?

But she'd thought they were alone – just her, the kids and Pepe. She'd wanted to be able to hear them while she cleaned up, just in case...

Just in case, what? Come to think of it, she had no idea.

It's not the end of the world, Emily. No one will die from this. Get over yourself.

Alison tapped on the door. "Emily? You okay?"

"Fine! Fine! – Really!" Her voice had the tinkling brightness of breaking glass. "We, uh, had a little accident."

"But... uh you're okay, right?"

Oh, Hell, No. Emily shook her head still embarrassed. "Yes. I'm fine. I'll be out in a few minutes."

Alison then made a nervous throat-clearing sound. "Uh-I'll just take the kids into the other room."

"Great! Be there in a few."

"Uh. Yeah-Yeah, take your time."

Emily then started to call out something frantic and cheerful. "Righto!" or "Absolutely!" but she shut her mouth hard and folded her lips between her teeth so that not one more ludicrous word could escape.

Oh, God. Alison just saw her naked.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Fifteen minutes later, Emily found Alison and the kids in the bedroom across the hall. She was sat in the rocker, holding Ellie, who looked like a slightly flushed angel, all curled up in her arms, sucking peacefully on a baby bottle half-full of water. She'd dressed her in a cozy pair of pink pajamas.

Jake lay on the floor nearby, gumming a plastic teething pretzel, one plump arm thrown out across Pepe, who lay at his side. He took the pretzel from his mouth and gave her his most dazzling smile. "Emmy. Hi."

"Hey, honey."

"Baba home."

"Oh, yes, he-she is."

Jake stuck the pretzel back in his mouth and chewed some more. Pepe nuzzled him, and he gave a lazy little giggle around the toy in his mouth.

The puddle of vomit on the rug was only a damp spot now, and the room smelled of the all-natural cleaner they used around the kids, a citrusy scent.

Emily made herself raise her gaze and look at Alison. Those sea-glass eyes were waiting. She made herself speak. "You're home early."

"I was worried about Ellie and thought maybe you could use a break or at least another pair of hands." Alison tried to justified.