Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 46587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
I smiled back at her and without giving it any thought, started rocking and humming a lullaby. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to do.
It took me a minute to realize the rest of the room had gone deathly still. Even more of note was the look that passed between mother and son.
I wasn’t sure if I’d messed up again until they both smiled at me like I was their long lost loved one. Only one person was not pleased and that of course was Trudy.
She folded her arms and stomped out of the room and the little joy I’d begun to feel dissipated like smoke. It’s probably harsh, and I’m not usually a mean person. But I could almost wish she didn’t come with the package.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to upset her. Should I let her feed her baby, maybe…”
“She’s not hers.” That was Sheila’s confusing answer.
“But I thought…
“No-no, you misunderstood. Her mom died giving birth to her. Trudy is her mom’s sister.” That was all I got, which only left me more confused.
I could’ve sworn the woman had a possessive bend towards the man and child. I struggled to remember what Sheila had said during the interview, but I had been so lost in my own thoughts I may have misunderstood some things.
I did feel a whole lot better now though. Now that I wasn’t coming between a mother and her child. Even if the woman in question did seem to want the position.
Still, she must feel some responsibility towards her sister’s child. What was it that he’d said again? Oh, she’s not the motherly type.
I put her and everything else out of my mind as I went back to feeding the baby who seemed happy enough. My first hurdle crossed I guess.
In fact, for the rest of the day, the only time I felt calm and not like I was about to jump out of my skin, was when I was with the baby.
The father left me feeling confused and needy. The aunt made me jumpy and the grandmother who was the only one I’d met before had disappeared just a short while after I came downstairs with the baby.
And the house, well, I guess it’s going to take some getting used to. I’m pretty sure some of the sounds I heard were not in my head. But it could be no more than Callan had explained, just an old house settling.
Noelle
Things seemed to settle down somewhat that evening after I gave the baby a bath and put her down for the night.
Sheila had returned from wherever she’d gone to long enough to make dinner, roast and potatoes and a blueberry pie, before going back to her own home.
After I put the baby down I was supposed to head back downstairs to have dinner in the kitchen with Callan and I suppose Trudy as well. Whom I hadn’t seen since this afternoon.
I guess all the excitement had been too much for Isabelle because she fell asleep as soon as I sat in the rocking chair with her head resting on my chest.
I almost didn’t want to go back downstairs, not quite wanting to deal with the craziness that was Trudy. But I was hungry, and besides, I wanted to see Callan again before turning in for the night.
It had been a pleasant day all in all, spending time with him. His soothing voice as he shared some of the history of his home with me had made me feel at peace. Almost to the point where I could overlook Trudy and her lurking.
We had yet to share a word with each other her and I and I still wasn’t quite sure what it was that she did here. I’m not about to ask either, as that would seem a bit forward.
I wanted a shower and bed after the rollercoaster day that I’d had. But Sheila’s roast did smell good, and again, there was Callan.
I walked into the kitchen where meals were usually eaten except for Holidays and special occasions, per Callan.
For that there was the formal dining room and the less formal one, which was used on lesser occasions I guess.
They were both sitting at the table not speaking to each other. There was a place set for me at his right hand where he sat at the head of the table, while she sat all the way at the other end.
I cleared my throat as I took my seat and he looked at me smilingly. “She went down okay, no problem?”
I nodded yes though I was sure he already knew the answer to that, seeing as how there was a monitor sitting next to his elbow.
The things were all over the place as well as baby cameras. I even had one in my room on my nightstand so I could hear her in the night if she needed me.