Episode 565: The Call

She didn’t budge from her seat on the sofa. Lately she’d proven far more adept at sitting still than moving forward.

"Lucy? Are you okay?"

She needed to move forward. Sitting still was eating her alive. She shuffled to the door in her slippers and robe. "It’s late." Lucy hadn’t realized just how late until she saw Paul’s rumpled, just rolled out of bed appearance, exhaustion surrounding his usually bright, active eyes. Eyes, very much like their baby’s, Lucy remembered with a hard swallow.

"I’m well aware how late it is," Paul said, allowing only the slightest annoyance to show. "You called me. Here I am, so…" His head gestured several times toward the interior of her apartment.

Finally, she stepped aside and closed the door behind him. She waited several beats then followed him into the living room.

He stared at the spot on the sofa she’d just vacated. "Lambie’s still here."

"I’ve been busy." Paul walked over and picked up Hope’s stuffed toy, squeezing it with his hands.

An absurd surge of jealousy hit Lucy and she swiped Lambie from his clutches.

His eyes narrowed. "Why did you call me?"

"I shouldn’t have. It was nothing. I was just having a bad night." She kept having bad nights. Kept missing Hope. A little girl she barely even knew. She kept thinking the ache would go away. She hadn’t known who else to call.

"You’d probably have better nights if you gave Lambie back."

Lucy hugged Lambie closer. "I haven’t had time."

"I do," he gently said, and even gentler, he tried to pry the toy from Lucy’s arms as tears sprang into her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

Episode 566: If Something Should Happen