Jenalyn: Disconnected (#5) [Complete]

Chapter 42: Tyler

Wed. 1/07/09 • 7:17 P.M. PST

Hayden would kill me if she knew I was taking the baby to Sophie's tonight. I definitely left that fact out a little while ago when I picked the baby up from her house. She was in a decent mood, and I couldn't risk ruining it by telling her. Even during our "break," I'm scared to risk sending her off the deep end. 

Especially with that Evelyn chick there. 

I don't care what Hayden says, that girl is bad news. She looks like she's using, for starters, and I'm talking the hard shit. I can't fathom why Hayden would want that stuff around our child, but she claims Evelyn is "recovering" and that I "need to give her a chance." And that's not even the half of it! Evelyn is being supportive of Hayden's decision to rename our daughter after her dead twin sister... I don't think it's good for Hayden's mourning process. Or mine, for that matter...

I had to brush past it all though. I ignored it when Evelyn came out complaining about not being able to find a rash cream or something, I ignored it when they said goodbye to McKaiden, and I ignored it when I heard a voice in the back of my head telling me I should explain that I'm taking our baby to see her half sister. 

Hayden was in a decent mood, and... I can't risk ruining that. We're supposed to be working on ourselves during our "break," and I know upsetting her would just add fuel to a fire inside of her that's not interested in working on Hayden. 

My phone rings, and I turn the volume down low before answering it on my bluetooth speaker. Madison passed out as soon as we got on the road; She takes after me. My mom always used to drive me around the block if she needed me asleep. 

"Yo," I respond with half a mind as I turn off a ramp on the highway. I didn't even bother checking who called, assuming it was probably one of the boys from Gen Z calling about work or something. 

"Hey, you still coming back?" Sophie's voice comes through the speaker. 

I feel my heart jump in my chest and glance in my rearview to Madison, who still sleep peacefully in her carseat. I have no idea why I panicked as if she'd run and tell Hayden, but I can't help from laughing at myself as I respond to Sophie.

"Yeah! Yeah!" I exclaim, trying to recover from my brain fart. "I'm headed there now, shouldn't be much longer- maybe 15 minutes or so?" 

"Damn, what kept you so long?" Sophie quickly responds, a laugh in hidden in her voice. "Baby mama drama?"

I can feel my cheeks grow flushed, thankful Sophie can't see me. "Nah," I laugh. "Just a lot to go over. She's a new mommy and has her routines now that she's out of the hospital- she had to make sure she explained each and every one to make sure I understand... twice. You know the deal, you've been there!"

Sophie let's out a quick laugh before responding. "That's a long time just to explain a few things a couple times, but we'll settle on it!" she laughs, her tone both joking and condescending at the same time. She pauses for a couple moments realizing I'm not going to entertain her attempt to find out if Hayden and I did anything. That's none of her business.

I've stayed at her place the last couple of days because she asked for help with the baby, and because Gage is home. I can't be around him after what he did with Hayden; I'm not staying at her house because I want to get back together with her. 

"Well anyway, I was thinking of throwing on Ponyo for the girls once you get here. We could do a movie night! Could you just grab me some wine? I've been dying for a glass." Sophie continues after my silence, breaking me from my thoughts on the fact that I did, in fact, end up kissing Hayden before I left her house. We went in for a hug, and it just kind of happened that way; Habits are hard to break. I didn't particularly want to be around her either considering what she did with Gage, but I had to pick up our daughter. 

I tell Sophie I'll grab her wine before urging her off the phone so I can pay attention to the road.