"Babe I'm sorry." Jordan's voice rang through the house for the millionth time. He was yelling to me from the letterbox while I continued to ignore him.
"No you embarrassed me!" I yelled back. The neighbors probably thought we were crazy.
"Please..." He quietened down and I gave in. I marched down the stairs and pulled the door open. He stood there with flowers and pout and I groaned with my head falling back.
"I was hoping for chocolates this time." I told him. I let him in and headed to the garden. He grabbed my wrist. "I'm sorry." He apologized again. I nodded and avoided his gaze on my body.
I was in a bikini- but not for no reason. Annabel has been asking me to swim with her one of the weekends since we moved in and today was the day.
"You look good." He told me. I could feel my cheeks flush as he checked me out, thankful that Ana soon came running down wearing her pink bathing suit I got her and her many, many armbands. I was surprised she was even willing to get back into the water after what happened.
She dragged me by the hand to the back garden and I laughed, she was the only person on earth right now who could get a laugh out of me.
I dropped the towel and sunblock to the grass before getting to my knees. "C'mere, I have to put this on you." I told her, picking the bottle of sun block up. She sat down in front of me as I rubbed it into her skin quickly, doing my own then after.
"Don't drown." I heard someone yell. I looked up to see Harry holding Noah over the fence and I rolled my head back. Can I ever catch a break.
"Can I come over?! Please, please, pleaseeeeee?" Noah begged. His little hands shook the fence in anticipation and I nodded. "Of course."
It didn't take long for Harry to drop Noah over, letting me know that Noah was a good swimmer and that he'd keep an eye on us like I was a little baby. I just slammed the door shut in his face, leading the kids back out to the garden.
"Okay!" I exclaimed. "Last one to the pool is a rotten egg!"
We all began running and Noah erupted into a fit of giggles as Annabel chased after him. I got there first and watched them both run with their tiny human legs and I cooed. They were too cute.
To my surprise, Noah wasted no time and cannonballed into the shallow end. Annabel and I watched him. "Get in!" He yelled at us. His head bobbed up and down in the water and I looked to Harry, who I already knew was watching us from over the fence.
You know, for a business man, he has a lot of free time to just watch me from his fence.
He gave me a thumbs up and I shook my head, trying to fight the smile from his stupidness. He caught it though and I swore I saw a little smile on his lips too.
I got into the pool before Annabel did to make sure she wouldn't drown- again. I secured her armbands tightly but I mean, you never know.
She was fine though, and we actually spent the next hour playing shark attack in the water under the heat of the summer sun as Harry watched.
•
•
I brushed through my wet, tangled hair in the bathroom after drying off from my shower. I can't believe I was doing this, I was actually letting Harry babysit Annabel for the weekend.
I watched Jordan finish packing his bag in a hurry while I began to dry my hair. I was crazy for this and Jordan better get his ungrateful ass act together with me for doing this for him.
Once my hair was dried I walked my naked body across the room to my closet for clothes, earning a stern look from Jordan. "You can't just walk around naked in front of me." He whined.
I smiled and shrugged.
I soon felt his body press against my back and his hands grip my waist and I tensed up. Jordan had been trying to get intimate all week but I wasn't really feeling it. I was scared to admit he didn't exactly turn me on anymore. Scared to admit it to myself rather than him.
His lips pressed against my neck tenderly and I pushed against him slightly as I turned around. "Maybe another time." I told him, pecking his plump lips before I began to dress.
He mumbled something under his breath and turned to get our bags for the car.
I don't know what was wrong with me, Jordan and I never had any problems when it came to our sex life, even when he was a little bitch to me. I just couldn't seem to get in the mood anymore for him and I knew it was bugging him out.
"Well come on then," Annabel grunted as she walked into my room. I rose a brow at her sudden attitude and buttoned my jeans.
"And who do you think you're talking to, little miss?" I asked her, walking with her down the stairs. She mumbled a sorry and grabbed my hand. For four years of age, she sure had an attitude problem.
I squeezed her hand in mine as we approached Harry's front door. I felt like I was giving her away- it was weird. This is what it would be like if Harry knew she was his and we shared custody. I'd be dropping her off every weekend and - oh god, no thank you.
I slung her bag over my shoulder before knocking loudly on the door.
"Hi, dear." Aria greeted me. She looked tired and ..not her usual self.
"Hi," I replied. I stared at her a bit longer before I realized I was staring. "Oh! So, here's her bag."
I rose the pink tote bag to Arias hand but she declined, "You're better off giving it to Harry, I won't be here this weekend. I have an away trip for work." She explained.
"Oh.." I mumbled. "Where is he?"
"Playroom with Noah." Was all she said before she disappeared down the hall.
I walked with Annabel down the hallway until we got to the playroom and pushed open the door. "Harry, I have Annabel's Stu- woahh." I stopped in my tracks.
Harry was crying.
I almost felt bad, almost. But then I came back down to reality and turned on my heel with Annabel. "Nope."
"Wait!" He called. I sighed, my shoulders slumped as he emerged from the room, wiping his face.
"Aria and I just had a fight. I'm okay- not that you care- but please let Ana stay. Noah has been looking forward to this all week." He pleaded.
I looked to Ana, then to Harry. "Fineeee."
I handed him her bag as he smiled, his red yes distracting me. Maybe I did feel bad..I wonder what they fought over.
"So, this has her clothes, pjs, toothbrush, spare clothes, spare clothes for the spare clothes...uh....her blanket she uses to sleep, her teddy." I listed off everything to him.
He smiled down at Annabel who was clinging to my leg, obviously frightened of Harry's state.
I snapped my fingers in front of Harry's face. "Pay attention, curly."
He nodded and watched me sternly.
"This list is important. It has everyone's number on it that you'd ever need, especially mine. I want a picture text every two hours to know she's okay. " I finished.
I handed the paper to Harry and frowned. I really didn't feel right leaving her here with him, especially in his state, but it was too late.
I knelt to Annabel's height and took her hands. "Be good for Harry, okay? And have lots of fun. Tell Harry to call me if you miss me and please, please, pleaseeeee for the love of god, do not throw one of your fits. Got me?" I asked her sternly.
She nodded and a wide smile spread across her face as she hugged me. "Bye, momma!" She yelled, running off to Noah.
I stood to my feet with a sigh. "Harry watch her, always." I warned him.
He nodded, "I'm not dumb."
"She gets into everything. You take her eyes off her for two seconds and she's doing something crazy." I warned him, my eyes focused on his harsh stare.
"Mae, I will take care of her. Now go have fun, enjoy your weekend, don't make more babies." He winked, walking me out. "And remember she's in safe hands. I care a lot about her, and you.." he trailed off.
I stared at him dumbfounded. Where did that come from?
He snickered. "Gotcha. Now please, go." He pushed. The last thing I saw was Harry's menacing wave as I walked down the driveway to Jordan's car.