Calista

Sadie was sat beside Harper, the two of them glued to a computer. Something flashed across the screen, causing Harper to pat the preschooler on the head in celebration. For someone who wasn't fond of kids, Harper seemed to be enjoying Sadie's company.

"You could have gone with Ella," I reminded her as I approached the ringing phone on my nightstand.

"To a university hockey game?" Harper pinched her lips together. "Negative."

"Not even to the after-party afterwards?"

Harper scrunched her nose at me before muttering something to Sadie about college boys.

I stifled a laugh before pressing the green button and placing the cell phone against my ear. "Hello?"

The sound of heavy bass emitted through the receiver. It was muffed, like the music was coming from another room. There was a pregnant pause before I heard Lincoln's baritone voice. "Hey, how's Sadie doing?"

"She's doing great." I peered over my shoulder to check on the little girl in question. "We're currently playing a video game on Harper's computer. She seems to be enjoying it."

Lincoln started speaking again, but it sounded strained. "Listen," he breathed. "I need a favour."

"Something else to add to your ever-growing list of things to keep you indebted to me?" I mused.

Harper's head turned in my direction, tuning in on the conversation. I turned away.

"Yeah," he said, tone dropping. "I won't be able to come and grab Sadie. Can you bring her home? My mom should be home from work by now. She can take Sadie from you."

The silence between us was filled by the thumping beat in the background. Why wasn't he able to get her himself? It had been a couple of hours since Andrew dropped Sadie off at my dorm. I hadn't ever been to a boxing match—and I knew Lincoln didn't pick Sadie up until midnight last time—but they couldn't possibly last that long, right? Unless he was going somewhere after his matches. Ella did mention that her old sorority friends would occasionally try to flirt with him while he was out celebrating afterward.

"Sure," I chirped, pushing away the unease I felt in my stomach. "I don't think Ella would mind me borrowing her car. It shouldn't be a problem." I paused again before asking what was on my mind. "Is everything okay?"

Lincoln didn't hesitate. "Yeah, everything's fine. I'll text you the address, okay?"

Before I could respond, the line went dead.

I removed the phone from my ear, staring at the dark screen for a moment longer than necessary. Clearing my throat, I peered across the room. Harper was already looking at me, asking questions with her eyes.

"I'm going to have to bring Sadie home."

Harper's expression remained stoic. I knew what she was thinking. In her eyes, this was just another way that Lincoln was taking advantage of my kindness.

"And why can't he come and get her?" Harper probed.

My phone screen lit up when Lincoln's text message came through. "He didn't say."

"How convenient," she muttered.

"Don't worry about it," I said, opening the closet to look for a cardigan to wear under my coat. "You stay here and enjoy what's left of your Friday night. I shouldn't be too long."

Harper didn't look away from her screen as she hummed her response.

→

I stood outside Ella's car, staring at the wall of townhomes. An arctic wind funnelled down the street, causing my hair to whip across my face. Tugging the top of my coat closed I tucked Sadie's hand into mine. The road was dark and desolate. The only light came from a flickering street lamp. It was hard to make out any of the house numbers—especially considering each home was a carbon copy of the others.

"Which one is your house?" I asked, hoping the little girl could guide me.

The quicker I could get her home, the faster I could get out of this neighbourhood.

Sadie pointed to the only house with the light still on by the front door. Checking both ways, I lead her across the road and up the flight of porch steps. The house itself looked like it had seen better days. The concrete slab steps were cracked and chipped. The black wrought iron railings were peeling and beginning to rust. Once upon a time this building would have been beautiful. The red brick and the black embellishments were a nice contrast.

Not wanting to ring the doorbell, I rapped on the door. A few long moments passed before I considered knocking again. It was nearing 11:00pm and most sane people would have been settled in bed by now (or at least I would be). I raised my hand again when the lock on the door clicked open.

It creaked open a sliver, just enough for the person inside to see Sadie and I standing on the dark stoop. It shut again and then I heard a chain rattle.

A woman, who I assumed to be Lincoln's mother, appeared once the door flung open. She had a fuzzy blue robe wrapped around her body and her blonde hair piled high in a messy bun. Her face appeared sunken in and there were dark circles under her eyes.

I had definitely woken her up.

"Hi," I said, giving my free hand an awkward wave. I hoped that Lincoln had told her I was coming. "I'm Calista, a friend of Lincoln's. I'm here to drop off Sadie."

The woman stood in the doorway, towering over me as she regarded me with her cool blue eyes. I assumed she was Lincoln's mom. However, she was the spitting image of Sadie—golden tresses, large aquamarine eyes, delicate porcelain skin—but where Sadie still clung to the warmth of childhood, this woman did not.

"And where is Lincoln?" She had a sharp edge to her tone that cut through my already frayed nerves.

The question caught me off guard. "Uh—" I sputtered. "I don't really know. I think his match might have been postponed or something... he didn't say."

Lincoln's mom continued to pin me with her gaze. The hard stare insinuated she was not pleased—not pleased with her college-aged son being out all hours of the night, or a complete stranger showing up at her door, I was unsure.

Sadie unravelled her hand from mine and stepped into the house. She wrapped her willowy arms around the woman's leg while peering up at her.

That sweet look from Sadie's beautiful big eyes was all that was needed to melt the woman standing in front of me. Her expression softened, her shoulders sagging with exhaustion.

"Thank you for bringing her home," she said after a long moment. "Can I offer you tea or coffee?"

"No, it's okay, really." I offered her a kind smile.

"Please, come in and allow me to get you something warm. It's the least I can do to thank you for coming all the way out here."

When she stepped aside to allow me space to enter, I hesitated. All I cared to do was get back to my dorm room and into a pair of pyjamas, but I didn't want to be rude.

Without a word I stepped inside. The foyer was a short hallway that led to a flight of stairs. It was cramped and definitely didn't have enough space for the two and a half people standing there at that moment. I shuffled around on the welcome mat, trying to avoid stepping on stray shoes, as Lincoln's mom closed the door.

"I'm just going to put her to bed," she said with Sadie on her hip. "Make yourself at home." Lincoln's mom gestured to the kitchen before disappearing up the stairs.

The main floor of the house was silent as I abandoned my shoes and wandered into the kitchen. It was quaint. The cabinets were organized against the wall on the left in an "L" formation. A small, circular dining table was positioned with four chairs against the only window in the room. There was a pan left to soak in the sink, but everything else seemed well maintained.

I stepped into the kitchen, a tile creaking under my weight as I made my way over to the table and sat down in one of the wooden chairs. I wasn't alone for long before Lincoln's mother made her way back downstairs.

"What would you like?" She asked as she turned the corner.

"Coffee, please." The last thing I needed was to fall asleep on my drive back to campus.

Lincoln's mom pulled out a container from the upper row of cabinets. "I only have instant coffee. Is that okay?"

I sent her a polite smile. "It's practically what I live off of during the semester."

A hum of quiet washed over the kitchen as she prepared our drinks. It stretched on for an extended moment before she spoke again.

"Sorry for the hostility earlier," she said as she ran the water and filled a kettle. "I've told Lincoln before how uncomfortable I am with Sadie being out all hours of the night." An exasperated sigh left her lips. Then she muttered something along the lines of, "that boy just doesn't get it."

I couldn't blame her for being suspicious of a stranger showing up at her front door in the middle of the night with her preschooler in tow. I was assuming Sadie was her daughter. The resemblance was uncanny.

I crossed one leg over the other. "No harm done."

"I'm Amelia," she said once she clicked on the kettle. "What was your name again?"

"Calista, but everyone calls me Cali."

Amelia nodded, reaching for a couple of mugs. She placed them down on the counter before turning to peer at me. "How do you know Lincoln?"

"I'm his tutor, actually."

She leaned back against the kitchen sink, her arms crossed as she pulled her robe tighter to her body. "I didn't realize my son was so invested in his grades."

I fiddled, picking at the dry skin around my thumb. "Well... it wasn't really his choice."

Amelia gazed down at her slippers. "I see. And how long have you been tutoring him for?"

"Not long. It will be two weeks soon."

She replied with another question. "Do you watch Sadie for him often?"

"I can't say I watch her often. This is the second time I've watched her for him," I murmured.

"Are you a student at the university as well?"

"Yes, I am."

"What program are you in?"

This was turning into a game of twenty questions—something I was so sure I was interested in doing at the moment. I cleared my throat. Amelia must have realized my discomfort.

Sending me a small smile she said, "I'm sorry, I'm probably being overbearing." She lifted herself away from the counter when the kettle clicked. She turned her back to me, "it gives me some peace of mind knowing where my daughter is when I can't be with her, you know?"

So I was right, Sadie is her daughter.

Of course Amelia would want to get to know who I am. Even if it was through a round of rapid-fire-questions. I doubt I would feel comfortable if my toddler was being cared for by someone I didn't know. I straightened in my seat, slapping a polite smile back onto my face. Hopefully this interaction would put her mind at ease.

"I'm currently in my senior year of nursing. And I'm aiming to get into their Master's of Nursing program next September."

Amelia swivelled with two steaming mugs in her hands. She placed one in front of me before moving to the other side of the table. "Impressive. You must be quite bright. No wonder you're tutoring my son."

I smile bigger at her this time—genuinely. "I do fairly well. It is a difficult program to navigate, but I'm managing."

Raising my cup to my lips, I blew into the steam. The warm scent of coffee wafted over me.

Amelia joined me, thoughtfully bringing her mug to her chin. The string of her tea bag spun with the motion. She regarded me over her drink for a moment. And then she said, "You look like you have a lot going for you Cali. Don't let my son get in the way of that."

* * * * *

author's note:

Yikes. Poor Lincoln... his own mother isn't even in his corner. How are you feeling about the interaction between Amelia and Cali?

On a very important side note... I'm off to make some chocolate espresso cookies! Sound off in the comments and tell me what your favourite flavour of cookie is. Maybe I'll try and make them!

Thanks for reading!