“What am I supposed to do, leave them outside?”
“Because she appears at seven thirty with backpacks and says she will only be gone an hour. Then she stops answering.”
“What am I supposed to do, leave them outside?”
I felt anger rise, but Mom looked embarrassed, which made me lower my voice.
“When did she bring them today?”
“Before eight,” Mom said.
“She texted around noon. She said she was running late.”
I checked the clock.
It was nearly six.
“Has Rachel called?”
Mom shook her head.
“She texted around noon. She said she was running late.”
There were six unanswered messages to Rachel and one lackluster reply.
I picked up Mom’s phone from the counter.
There were six unanswered messages to Rachel and one lackluster reply: Relax. I’ll be there later.
No apology.
No question about dinner.
I handed the phone back.
“Please don’t start a war.”
“I am staying until she arrives.”
Mom looked worried.
“Please don’t start a war.”
“I’m not starting anything.”
From under the table, Noah said, “Mommy says Aunt Kate always starts things.”
Rachel finally arrived at 7:15 p.m., wearing workout clothes and carrying shopping bags.
I smiled.
Rachel finally arrived at 7:15 p.m., wearing workout clothes and carrying shopping bags.
She walked in without knocking.
“Hey, kids. Shoes on.”
Then she noticed me.
“You left them here for an entire day.”
“Oh. Kayla.”
I crossed my arms.
“Where have you been?”
She frowned.
“Busy.”
“I lost track of time. What is the big deal? We are family.”
“You left them here for an entire day.”
“I asked her to watch them for an hour.”
“And then disappeared.”
Rachel rolled her eyes.
“I lost track of time. What is the big deal? We are family.”
“The big deal is that she could barely stand today.”
Mom began gathering jackets, but I stepped between Rachel and the doorway.
“The big deal is that she could barely stand today.”
Rachel looked at Mom, then shrugged.
“She seems fine.”
“She is not fine. You do this constantly, and you have never offered to pay her.”
“I am not paying her anything. She is retired. She sits at home and does nothing anyway.”
Rachel burst out laughing.
“I am not paying her anything. She is retired. She sits at home and does nothing anyway.”
Mom flinched.
Rachel kept going.
