When I Cut Off the Payments, My Mama's Boy Husband's Family Panicked novel · Chapter 6 of 24

Chapter 6: Hoover Reservoir

I pulled open the glass door.

"No need to call," I said. "I'm right here."

Every head in the lobby turned.

Sharon's smile flickered and came back brighter.

"Julie! There you are. I was just going to take her for a little ice cream."

"With her backpack?"

"She might want her things."

"For ice cream."

The teacher looked at me over the half door. I gave her a small nod. She didn't open it.

I walked to the front desk and held out my hand for the backpack.

Sharon didn't give it to me.

"I've been her grandmother for three years, and I've seen her twice this month," she said, loud enough to reach the fish tank. "Is that fair? You tell me if that's fair."

One of the mothers lowered her phone a little.

"You're not on her pickup list," I said, "because when I asked you to be, you told me you weren't a babysitter."

Sharon's cheeks went pink.

"I never said that."

"You said it at Easter. In front of Jeff's brother. You were holding a deviled egg."

The mother with the phone made a small noise and turned it into a cough.

"And you didn't come for ice cream," I said. "Why are you here, Sharon?"

She held on to the backpack for one more second.

Then she let go of it.

"The Burgesses are having the engagement party Saturday at the lake," she said, quieter. "They want to meet the flower girl. I bought her a dress. I was going to have her try it on."

"You were going to take my daughter without asking me, so the Burgesses could see her in a dress."

"She's a Mattingly."

"She's three."

I opened the half door myself.

Evie let go of her teacher and threw herself at my knees.

"Mommy, actually, Grandma said I'm going to a lake."

"Not today, baby."

I picked her up and walked out past Sharon.

Behind me, I heard one of the mothers say, "Good for her," not quite under her breath.

That night my phone buzzed at nine-fifteen.

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