The Setup and the Substitute by Jiffy Kate

Chapter 30

Sophie

Enough is enough.

It’s officially midday and Lisa is still not awake and I’m tired of tiptoeing around her.

The kids and I have had breakfast, played in the pool, made suncatchers, and watched a movie under the gigantic fort we created while eating lunch and Lisa remains in bed.

Not that I’m missing her company, especially now that Owen is out of town and she’s taken to treating me like I’m her hired help—oh, Sophia, be a dear and grab me a water from the kitchen… Sophia, the children are hungry. Never once has she offered to tend to their needs, or her own for that matter.

She hasn’t pitched in making meals.

She hasn’t even done her own laundry.

And the other day, when Sharon came to clean, she gave me these wide eyes as she walked back down the stairs from cleaning Lisa’s room.

Have I mentioned how much I hate the idea of Lisa sleeping just down the hall from Owen?

Loathe.

Despise.

But I digress.

The only thing that makes me tolerate her is the knowledge her kids want to spend time with her, especially Molly. She’s been patiently waiting all morning to see her. Both her and Ryan are such troopers—exhibiting way more patience than any six- and three-year-old should—and have stopped asking when she’ll wake up and are doing their best to stay quiet.

But, honestly, fuck that.

This is their house and they should be able to play however they want.

I’m seriously contemplating starting a dance party for the three of us when I hear Lisa’s door open then shut. The kids hear it, too, because they stop their playing and wait excitedly for her to make an appearance in the playroom. When she steps in the room, she’s fully dressed, with sunglasses on her nose and a purse hanging from her shoulder.

“Hi, Mommy!” Molly greets while Ryan watches. He’s still very reserved around Lisa and I don’t blame him.

“Hello, my precious babies,” she says, breezing into the living room like a duchess on a cloud, and we’re her lowly entourage. “I have some errands to run today, so I need to leave. I should be back later this evening. Stay with Sophia and be good!”

And then, poof, she’s gone.

I’m left standing with my mouth agape. It’s like she beamed down from another planet. What was with that whole precious babies thing? Normally, she calls them the children or refers to them by their names, but that was… I don’t even know.

After the front door slams, I count to ten before turning to face Molly, knowing disappointment will be etched all over her face.

She’s sitting quietly with her favorite princess doll, eyes trained on where Lisa just walked out.

I’ve tried my best to remain neutral, yet pleasant, in front of her because I want to foster a good relationship between them. And I know how much Molly craves Lisa’s affection and approval.

But damn, it’s hard.

Clearing my throat and putting on a bright smile, I kneel down in front of her. “You know what we should do?”

“What?” Ryan asks, walking over to stand beside me, his attention now on his sister’s sad expression.

I pull him into my side, taking Molly’s hand. “We should go to the French Quarter. I can show you my apartment and you can help me water my plants.” I pause, giving them both a reassuring smile. “Then, I’ll take you to my favorite coffee shop for a treat. What do you think?”

My idea probably doesn’t sound very exciting—it’s not Disney World or anything—but I think we could all use some fresh air and time away from this house.

“Can I bring Ducky?” Ryan asks, looking down at his stuffed dinosaur. “I promise he won’t eat your plants.”

Chuckling, I kiss the top of Ryan’s head. “Of course, Ducky can come along. Molly, would you like to bring Clara?”

That’s her princess doll, the one she’s been holding and waiting to show her mother.

The same mother who disappears so easily from this sweet girl’s life.

My heart breaks when she doesn't make eye contact.

“No, that’s okay,” she says, sighing as she places the doll beside her on the couch. “But I would like to see your apartment.”

“Great! Let’s all take a potty break and put on our shoes and then we’ll get going.”

By the time we’re at my apartment building, the kids are easing back into their usual happy, giggly selves and I’m able to breathe a sigh of relief. I really hate not being able to protect them from the bad people in the world. Not that Lisa is bad per se, but she’s not very good in my book.

I unlock and push open my front door with a flourish, yelling, “Ta-dah!”, hoping the kids aren’t too bored by my not-so-kid-friendly digs.

Ryan immediately runs and jumps onto my sofa, seemingly thrilled to have a new place for Ducky to explore while Molly carefully walks around, paying close attention to my framed photos and art pieces.

“Who are they?” she asks, pointing to the most recent picture I have of me and my siblings.

“Those are my brothers and my sister. Do you remember me telling you about them?”

Molly nods her head while studying the photo. “What’s it like having so many brothers?”

“Loud,” I answer, which makes Molly and Ryan both laugh. “But, for the most part, it’s fun. I love my family very much.”

“I think I’d like to have a sister,” Molly confesses a bit shyly. Ryan then chimes in that he’d like a brother, as well.

My heart squeezes when I realize my gut reaction is that I want to be the one to give them the siblings they desire. But that’s crazy, right? Owen and I are nowhere near that stage and who knows if we’ll ever be, but it’s the first time I’ve ever admitted to myself that I want children of my own someday.

“Let’s water the plants and then I’ll show you my favorite part of this apartment.”

Once my plants are taken care of, I open the doors to my balcony and let the kids follow me out. They’re both a bit skeptical as they step up to the railing but soon, they relax and enjoy seeing the city from this vantage point.

“We’re high up here,” Molly comments.

“It’s kinda stinky out here,” Ryan blurts out in true kid-fashion.

“You’re right, but it won’t be long before the wind blows, pushing the stink away and replacing it with the smells of delicious food,” I assure him. “Speaking of, are y’all ready for that special treat I promised?”

Both kids yell and jump up and down in the affirmative, so we grab our things, lock up, and leave.

As we walk through the French Quarter, I make sure to lead the kids down the roads with family-friendly businesses, avoiding the pitfalls of Bourbon Street. Even in the daylight that place isn’t fit for a kid.

New Orleans is a great city for families, if you know what areas to avoid.

When we eventually enter Neutral Grounds, I inhale the rich coffee aroma and let the place soothe my weary soul. I wave at CeCe who is speaking with some customers over in the seating area, so I bring the kids over to the display case and let them choose whatever sweet treat they want. I pay for Ryan’s huge cookie, Molly’s strawberry danish, two bottles of water for them, and my iced coffee before we take a seat at an outside table. As much as I love the atmosphere inside the shop, the kids need the fresh air and I can’t pass up the opportunity to people watch.

There’s no better place to lose yourself than the French Quarter.

Molly and Ryan seem to be truly happy again, the sting from Lisa’s abrupt departure this morning gone, and for that, I’m truly thankful. Although it’s been a couple of years and they may not remember much, I still wonder if, in some way, they’re used to this behavior from her. That thought only stokes the fire on my residual anger I have toward Lisa, so I try to put it out of my mind.

“Sophie Callahan, is that you?”

The deep voice calling my name does nothing to improve my inner turmoil and I fight the urge to roll my eyes as Gavin Winthrop approaches our table.

“Hello, Gavin.”

“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

I ignore his comment and put the caps back on Molly and Ryan’s water bottles, suddenly feeling the need to get the heck out of here.

I can practically feel Gavin’s eyes on me and it makes my skin crawl.

Not taking the hint, he tries another tactic. “So, who are these precious angels you’ve got with you today?”

Gah, he’s such a creeper.

Why my mother insists we’d make a good match is beyond me.

“They’re friends of mine,” I reply, not wanting to give him any information whatsoever. The less I say to Gavin, the better. Glancing at my watch, I make a show of my next effort to get him to leave. “Oh, would you look at the time? We’ve gotta get going.”

He doesn’t take the hint and actually seems even more engaged when I start to stand.

Leaning in closer, he drops his voice in an obvious effort to sound seductive. “Maybe after your friends are down for their nap, you and I can get together. It’s been too long and I haven’t seen you around much. Maybe we can have dinner?”

My chair screeches on the concrete as I push back from the table. Thankfully, Molly and Ryan are preoccupied as Ryan throws a bite of his cookie onto the sidewalk for a bird hopping around his chair.

“The New Orleans heat always looks good on you,” he whispers, a hand reaching out toward my exposed shoulder.

Taking a step back, I’m wavering between vomiting all over his crocodile shoes and dick punching him, but I won’t. Because even though Molly and Ryan aren’t paying attention, they don’t need to see my violent side right now.

They need the stable Sophie they’ve come to rely on these last few months.

“Gavin,” I say calmly, smoothing down my dress. “I’m going to have to pass on that invitation, and any other invitation you’re thinking of doling out, from now until the end of time. But thanks for the compliment and be sure to say hello to your mother.” I plaster on the fakest smile I can manage right now and watch as the rejection sinks in.

If I wasn’t so irritated, I’d find it mildly entertaining.

He straightens to his full height, adjusting his tie and clearing his throat. “Have a good afternoon, Sophia.”

I watch as Gavin retreats, glancing down to see Molly and Ryan are fully invested.

“Who was that?” Molly asks, wrinkling her nose.

“Oh, he’s just an old friend.” I wave him off, like the annoyance he is, and give her a smile before reclaiming my seat.

“He’s weird,” Ryan says, causing Molly and me to giggle in agreement.

Later in the evening, we’re back home cooking dinner when Owen FaceTimes the kids. With Lisa still away on her errands, it’s a nice reprieve, almost as if things are back to normal.

“What else did you do today?” I hear Owen ask Molly and Ryan.

“We went to a coffee shop and saw one of Sophie’s boyfriends,” Molly answers.

Oh, shit.

“He’s weird,” Ryan repeats, which makes Molly laugh just as much as it did earlier, if not more.

I know I shouldn’t feel the need to explain but I want to. I don’t want Owen thinking I’m seeing other men when he’s out of town, especially with the kids. That thought is repulsive to me and I assume he knows better, but when I turn and face the laptop screen, I see a quiet rage in his eyes.

“He is not a boyfriend; he’s an old friend who happens to be a boy. Well, a man.” I try to make it as though I’m correcting Molly but my eyes are imploring Owen to understand. “It was a very brief conversation, no big deal.”

“He asked Sophie out on a date!” Molly adds.

Fuck me.

Apparently, I didn’t give this child enough credit because I had assumed neither she nor Ryan had picked up on that.

“No, he didn’t,” I scoff, waving a hand toward the laptop perched on the counter. “Not really. He just mentioned it had been a while since we’d seen each other, that’s all.”

I swear, first Lisa and now Gavin.

Who else is going to try and screw things up between Owen and me?

Why can’t we go back to how things were a week ago?

Has it only been a week since our little bubble was infiltrated?

“Well, kiddos,” Owen says, feigning a yawn. “I’ve gotta go. I have an early game tomorrow. But have a good night and I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

They both huff their disappointment that their chat is coming to an end, but agree in unison.

“I love you,” Owen says, blowing kisses to Molly and Ryan but never even glancing my way before ending the call.

Ouch.

No goodbye, no nothing.

But less than a minute later, my phone buzzes with an incoming text. Pulling a hot pan out of the oven, I quickly put it on top of the stove and toss the mitts on the counter before retrieving my phone out of my back pocket.

Owen: Keep your boyfriends away from my children.

Oh, hell no.

I understand Owen isn’t happy with our situation right now, but that does not give him the right to say that to me. There’s no way I can let it sit because I’ll only get angrier the longer I wait to confront him, so I quickly fix the kids their plates before walking down the hall and dialing his number.

“Hello.” His tone is clipped and I can tell he’s still pissed off.

“Please tell me that text was your terrible attempt at a joke.”

There’s a brief pause before he answers. “No, I meant what I typed and I’m completely serious. Your job is to take care of my children and not parade them around the city, introducing them to your past or current boyfriends.”

I swear, between Lisa being here, the run-in with Gavin, and now my first fight with Owen, my emotions are on high-boil and I’m about to officially lose my shit.

“Owen, I already told you Gavin is someone I’ve known my entire life. Yes, he tried to weasel a date out of me today, but I firmly shot him down and he left with his tail between his legs. I would never put the kids in danger and you should know that by now.”

He’s silent for a beat so I ask him bluntly. “You do believe me, right?”

He exhales hard before he answers. “Yes, I believe you. I know you’d never risk the safety of my kids and I’m sorry for flying off the handle like that. I’m just angry at this whole fucking situation and I admit it, I’m a jealous asshole right now, and I took it out on you. I’m sorry.”

He’s jealous?

Of Gavin?

That admission quickly cools the rage I was feeling a few minutes ago and I’m left feeling raw and vulnerable. Closing my eyes, I take a deep cleansing breath and then decide it’s a good opportunity to clear the air.

“Since we’re being honest,” I begin, swallowing down my nerves as I pick at a thread on the blanket Owen bought me when I was sick. “I need to know if you still want me to be here full time, because if you need me to back off and…I don’t know, stay at my apartment on the nights you’re home? Give you some space…just tell me and I’ll do it.”

Damn, those words hurt to say but I had to put them out there.

“Is that what you want?” His voice is so much softer than it was when our conversation started and it makes my heart ache.

“No, of course not.”

“I don’t want that either. I can’t imagine you not being at the house, regardless if I’m there or not. I hate that idea.”

Relief floods my veins and I relax back on the bed.

“Then I’ll stay.”