Book 2: Back to You and I

Chapter 11: Baby Food and Punches

Vivian went out for a job interview and I promised to stay home and take care of Rose. Today is Dean's day off and he had some errands to run, but according to Vivian's text he should be home in about two hours. Nathan had texted me earlier saying he had to go to work today and I totally understood. I mean he runs a whole business and these past days he's been spending them with me most of the time.

I put Rose in one of those baby walkers as I water the plants outside. I don't know what happened to me, growing up I couldn't keep a plant alive, but now I find myself enjoying every time I go outside to water the plants. Weird, but okay.

"Rose" I say as I finish putting away the hose. I turn to see her hitting the toy on her walker. I pull out a baby wipe and clean my hands before I pick her up. "What are you doing? Let's go inside and give you your breakfast"

Once we're back inside I begin to prepare her breakfast. After a few minutes her bottle of milk is ready and I go sit on the couch with her in my arms. Rose has never been the type to give many problems, except for the few times she does it's very loud. Within 15 minutes she's finished the whole bottle.

As I try to burp Rose my phone begins to ring nonstop. I can't put her down, but the number is the same every time from what I can see. It's weird that an unknown number calls me four times in a row.

Rose's burp startles me and that's when I realize I must be overreacting.

"You scared me" I tell Rose. I watch as she slowly closes her eyes. Once fast asleep I put her in her crib upstairs and set up the baby monitor so that it has a good view of her.

From all the way upstairs I can hear my phone ringing nonstop. At this point I'm more fed up than freaked out. I go downstairs and pick up the phone call.

"Hello?" I say into he phone, but the other side of the call remains quiet. "Hello?" I repeat but there is still no response. This whole situation is way too creepy for my liking and I can already feel the goosebumps on my arms. "Listen if-"

"Larkin" I hear a man's voice say through the phone. "I gave you an option. That option would've made us happy again. We could've been the family we talked about in college"

"William?" I ask thinking that voice sounded too familiar. "Is that you?"

"You said I made you happy" he responds completely ignoring my question.

"I know but-"

"You promised."

"William I can't do this anymore. Bye."

I hang up the call before he gets a chance to say anything else. The whole phone call sent chills down my spine. Suddenly I hear the door knob twist open and my adrenaline kicks in. I grab the closest thing to me which was one of those fireplace pokers and prepare to hit someone with it.

But to my surprise it was only Dean opening the door.

"Woah there" he says as he locks the front door. "What are you doing?"

"I was just um..." I panic as I realize what I've just done. Telling Dean would only cause more stress. "I was checking the fireplace making sure it's good and all"

"And is it?"

"Is it what?"

"Is it good and all?"

I put the fireplace poker back where it belonged and if I could I would facepalm my face right now. "Oh right yeah it's all good"

Dean stares at me, suspicious of my weird behavior. Sometimes I'm good at lying other times I'm not, and right now is one of the times I'm horrible at it.