The Setup and the Substitute by Jiffy Kate
Chapter 33
Sophie
Owen came back latelast night, after the kids were in bed, and he left early this morning to head back to the clubhouse. We didn’t sleep together, but that’s now the new norm.
I haven’t slept in Owen’s bed since Lisa started staying at the house.
But I stayed up and waited for him to get home last night. The second he walked in the door, I could tell the old Owen was back—closed-off and locked up tight. He barely said two words before dragging himself upstairs.
Early this morning, when he came into the kitchen, I had a to-go mug of coffee waiting for him. He greeted me with a kiss on the top of my head, making my heart ache for the closeness and intimacy we shared only a few weeks ago.
Again, only a few words were exchanged and when I saw the bags under his eyes and his weary expression, I didn’t even try to talk to him about Lisa.
It’s obvious he’s struggling and I didn’t want to add to his stress, so I let it rest.
Besides, it’s not like he doesn’t know what she’s like. I have to remind myself that he lived with her for a long time. They had two children together. As hard as that pill is to swallow, it’s reality and I have to live with it.
After mine and Molly’s heart-to-heart the other night after her fall, I’ve determined that no matter how distant Owen gets or how horrible Lisa is, I won’t leave these kids.
Not until Owen tells me to.
Since the Revelers play an early game today, I thought it’d be fun to get Molly and Ryan out of the house and take them to the field. We haven’t watched a game in-person since Florida, so we’re long overdue.
I called Casey and she’s saving seats for us in the box where she and Lola sit. I’m hoping a day out with the kids and hanging with the girls will give me a fresh perspective, because I’ve definitely not been feeling myself lately.
Between Lisa being here and disrupting our lives and Owen taking all that stress upon himself and shutting me out in the process, I feel completely out of sorts. When that happens, the only thing I know to do is focus on what’s right in front of me, which is Molly, Ryan, and a beautiful New Orleans day.
About an hour after Owen left this morning, Lisa followed shortly behind, claiming she had an errand to run. I still have no clue what these errands are, but I really don’t care.
For all I know, she’s just using them as an excuse to get out of the house and not be around her kids. That’s my benefit-of-the-doubt side talking. The realist in me seriously wonders if she’s going somewhere to do drugs or something.
Occasionally, I still get that gut-check when she walks into the room.
I hate thinking that way, but her track record precedes her and until she proves different, I’ll always be leery of her intentions and untrusting of her words.
“Who’s ready for some baseball?” I call out from the foyer.
“Me!” They both call out in unison.
When they round the corner, I can’t help but smile. Both of them are decked out head to toe in Revelers gear. Molly is wearing a t-shirt with her dad’s number and Thatcher on the back. I gave her a fishtail braid and used yellow and purple ribbons to match her t-shirt. Ryan has a replica jersey on, basically looking like a mini-Owen and making my heart squeeze in my chest.
“In case I haven’t told y’all lately, you’re so stinking cute and I could eat you up,” I say, pulling them both to me and munching on their little cheeks. That gets me loads of giggles and puts an extra pep in my step as we walk outside.
Locking the door behind us, I turn and see a man standing at the gate. He has his hand on the latch, like he’s about to let himself in, but stalls when he sees the three of us.
“Can I help you?” I ask, shielding my eyes from the sun with one arm and the kids with another, as I casually herd them toward the Land Rover.
He turns toward the street and then back to the house. “I’m looking for Lisa. Is she here?”
A sense of dread washes over me and I immediately unlock the doors, ushering the kids inside and instructing them to buckle up before walking closer to the gate.
“Lisa’s not here,” I say with as much authority as I can muster. “Can I help you with something?”
The smile he gives me is borderline sinister and I want to react, but I don’t. Instead, I hold my ground, eyes locked with his.
“Just tell her a friend came by looking for her.”
I nod. “Okay, I’ll tell her.”
After a long few seconds, he slowly turns and walks away. I expect him to get in one of the cars parked along the side of the road, but he doesn’t, just keeps walking. I watch him until he turns the corner and then I practically run to the car, hopping in the driver’s seat.
Taking calming breaths, I glance at Molly and Ryan in the rearview mirror.
They’re both buckled up like I told them to and watching me with questioning eyes.
“Who was that man?” Molly asks, turning back to see if he’s still there.
She must feel it too, because normally, she thinks everyone is a friend, but not this guy. The way her eyes squint and her brows furrow, I can tell she doesn’t like him.
“I don’t know,” I say honestly, putting the car in reverse. “But if you ever see him, tell me, okay.”
As I drive down the road, I keep an eye out for him, but he’s long gone.