Noah

Kylie’s just parked the car, and I’ve got Richard inside. I didn’t want to scare her from the moment I saw her. If I came out holding Richard, she might just get back in her car and drive home. I haven't seen her in the flesh in what feels like forever.

She’s changed, really filled out. We haven’t spoken since that night. I’ve seen her on screen, and I’ve kept an eye on her social media, but that's been quiet for weeks. The only time we do talk on the phone is so that she can make sure that I'm not going to be somewhere. ‘Mom’s party. You going?’

I don't want to trick her, so I always tell her that if she can’t make it, then I’ll go, and if she can, then I don't go. That’s the way it’s been for the last three years since Stephanie got married to my dad’s best friend, Terrance. I thought that she may change her mind about the situation. And for once just want to be in the same place with me at the same time.

She looks sad in a way, not the singing sensation in bright lights. Even her social media’s been silent. It’s as if she’s disappeared from the limelight. Right now, I need help, and by the look of things, I’m not the only one.

I wander toward her and notice she’s wearing a hoodie in this heat. Her face is covered with the scarf that she’s got wrapped around her mouth and the hoodie on her head. The only thing I can see is her shining blue eyes, but even they appear a bit dull.

“Hey,” I whisper, and I hesitate as I approach her. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought that it wasn’t her. Or maybe she didn't want to come. But she was the one that called me.

She smiles awkwardly and says, “Hey,” as she removes her scarf.

“So, what do I owe the pleasure?”

She opens the back of the car and starts struggling to get her bags out. I forget how to be a gentleman, as I can't get my eyes off her. She’s put on weight—like a lot. I’m trying to think how long it’s been since I’ve seen her.

“Are you going to just stand there and stare at me all day, or are you going to help?”

She gives up and is sighing as she looks around, maybe trying to figure out if I live here alone or something. I don't know what's going through her mind. I wish I did.

“Aren’t you hot?”

She must be boiling underneath there. It’s nearly ninety degrees outside, and she’s wearing clothes as if it’s the middle of winter.

“Can you help me take my bags out?”

I nod, as she avoids the question. I have to be quiet and get on her good side. After all, she’s going to be helping me with Richard. There’s just one issue. She doesn’t know about him yet.

“Sure.”

I watch her move out of the way as if she’s got a ball between her legs and if she opens her legs wide or even takes bigger steps the ball will drop. I want to ask her why she’s walking like that, her head hung down as if she’s in pain or something.

I’m struggling to take her bags in. I wonder if she’s sure that she’s staying for a month, because judging by the bags, it's as if she's permanently moving in. The car’s jam packed with bags.

“It’s like you’re moving in or something. How many bags did you bring?”

She ignores me, and under any other circumstance, I would have told her not to do that. It’s fucking annoying and downright rude.

“Kylie, if you’re going to live in the same house as me, don’t you think that we should at least talk?”

She stops walking ahead of me and sighs. “You’re right. I’m just tired. It’s been a long drive.”

“Why didn’t you fly?”

She chokes. “I thought that the drive would give me some inspiration.”

“To do what?”

“Write.”

Oh, she must have singers block or whatever they call it in the singing world. This is the part that I love about owning a ranch. There is no creativity required, just practicality. I don’t need to worry about thinking outside of the box or doing anything for others. I just need to work hard and play harder to be successful.

Richard must have woken up; I can hear him crying in the living room. She raises an eyebrow and says, “What’s that?”

I think she knows the answer to that question. I walk by her and open the door. “A baby.”

“I know that, but what is it doing here? I never knew that you were married or in a relationship.”

I’m neither, but I don’t have time to explain that to her since I can hear Richard screaming his head off. God, you would think that I’d left him all day, not a few minutes.

“I’m neither.”

“Whose baby is it?”

I drop her things by the stairs, and as I start to head to the living room, I shout out, “Mine.”

* * *

It takes a while for Richard to settle down, and I don’t see Kylie in that time. It’s as if she’s hiding in the house. I’m just about to call out to her. It seems that it wasn’t Richard’s feeding time. Martin sent me a message with his schedule, and I set my phone to it. He’s got me curious as to whether he has nightmares. This isn’t the first time that I’ve put him down and he's gotten all emotional. It was my fault, really. I haven't figured out how to do that cocoon thing that Martin did yesterday. Whenever I did it, he would only sleep for a few hours.

I laugh.

“You’re only a few weeks old, but you know exactly what you like, right?”

“Seems that he takes after Dad.” Kylie smiles as she comes into the room.

“I only got the crib yesterday, along with the other things. Still trying to get my head around it all.”

“Is this what you needed me to help you with?”

I nod. “Yes. His name is Richard.”

“Where’s his mom?”

I sigh. “I don’t know. She just came here yesterday and left him.”

“Oh.”

I don’t want her sympathy. I just need her help right now. “I need to go to the ranch for a while. Do you think that you can keep him? His next feeding is due in about two hours.”

She’s thinking about it, but then she can’t get her eyes off him. He is a good-looking kid. He opens his eyes for a little while and then closes them back again.

“He even has your eyes.”

I nod as I think about the appointment that I’ve booked on Monday for the paternity test—just to make sure that he's mine.

“I know, but I still need to make sure that he’s mine.”

“I see.”

I’m waiting for her to say something, but she doesn’t. I whisper as I indicate for her to leave the room. Richard’s falling asleep. I don’t want her to change her mind. Otherwise, I’ll be stuck for the day.

“Is it okay for you to look after him?”

She nods. “For some crazy reason, I didn’t think that the favor included looking after your son.”

I want to put things in perspective, “Before yesterday, I never knew that I had a son. I’m not even sure if he’s mine. We’ll do the paternity test on Monday, and then we’ll see.”

She laughs at that. “I can see you haven’t changed.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

She sighs, “Nothing. For some crazy reason, I thought that with my coming back here… the favor had something to do with me.”

We stand, eyes locked, and then she blurts out as she’s about to walk away, “Nevermind.”

She made it clear that the one night was a mistake, something that should never be talked about, and as far as I was concerned she had moved on.

“Oh, Kylie, just one thing.” Her eyes light up as she turns around.

“Yes.”

“You’re going to need the baby monitor. Just in case he wakes.”

Again, she’s quiet. I feel as if this is my ticket to freedom. I can go to work on the ranch in peace for the first time in two days. It seems like two years, and I’ve practically built a baby room in that short space of time. I was going to tell her about the stroller in case she feels like taking him out. I even bought a swing, which he loves. I’ll leave that for another day. She just arrived, and I can tell that there’s something on her mind. I never expected that something to be us.