We headed toward the stairway and once again I had the sensation of being pursued and another of being pulled back. I stared straight ahead, trying to see but still aware of the wall that was apparently interfering with—if not totally blocking—my sixth sense.
Halfway down the stairs, I heard the sound again, something tinny and metallic, but this time it sounded more like words. Neither Jayne nor Sophie appeared to have heard it, so I kept heading toward the door, almost as eager as Jayne to close the door behind us.
It wasn’t until I was relocking the key in the lockbox that I realized that the doll had spoken, but it wasn’t a nursery rhyme. It had been the unmistakable two words that I was unfortunately growing accustomed to. Go away.
CHAPTER 6
“Are you ready?” Jack asked as he opened the door to the nursery, where I’d been dressing the twins in preparation for our meeting with Jayne.
“Almost. If you can put on JJ’s shoes, that would be helpful. I’ve already put them on twice and he keeps taking them off.”
Jack approached us where we sat on the floor and leaned down to kiss me and squeeze Sarah’s cheek before hoisting his son in his arms. “Hello there, big man.” He frowned at the miniature loafers. “I don’t blame him for not wanting to wear those things. His feet are round blobs with toes. How about those awesome soft high-tops I bought him?”
“They don’t go with his outfit,” I protested, watching as Jack opened the closet door as if I hadn’t said anything.
“Do you remember where you put them?” he asked, his voice muffled.
I bit my lip, wondering if I should tell him that I didn’t know. But I was familiar with where every sock, hair bow, and diaper cover was kept—thanks to a spreadsheet I’d developed—and Jack would know I was lying. I sighed. “They’re still in the box, on the top left shelf underneath the mini Van Halen T-shirt and faded baby jeans.”
“Well, no wonder you forget to put these on him if they’re tucked way out of the way. I’ll put them in the front so you can’t miss them.”
I refocused my attention on placing two red bows in Sarah’s hair. It was unfair that she should have thicker and prettier hair at one year than I had ever had, but I knew it was from her father’s DNA. Even as he was approaching forty, Jack’s hair was as thick and abundant as it had been when he was a teenager. I’d probably go bald before he lost a single strand.
Sarah sat with a straight back and her small, plump hands resting in her lap as she stared up at me with her big blue eyes. Sarah was so much easier to dress than JJ, actually enjoying it when I brushed her hair or put on a new pair of shoes or a dress. JJ was lucky he wore more than just a diaper, as dressing him was like wrestling with an octopus. Being a perpetual charmer, he always made sure to give me a hug and a kiss when I’d reached my limit so that I quickly forgot how annoyed I was.
JJ gurgled happily as Jack fastened the Velcro of the high-tops on his small feet, kicking out his legs twice to show his pleasure. “See? He loves them,” Jack beamed as JJ began his litany of dadadadadada. His other favorite word was “car,” which he helpfully pointed out whenever he saw one. He’d yet to say “mama,” but I still held out hope. Sarah, in the meantime, had mastered both parents, as well as the names of every family member and all three dogs. The only name she appeared to get stuck on was that of my cousin Rebecca, preferring to stare mutely or burp.
Jack frowned. “Matching outfits again?”
I finished with the little elastic band on the hair bow and stood, Sarah in my arms, admiring her smocked dress with the white Peter Pan collar that I knew would remain pristine until we removed the dress at bedtime. It matched the cute short suit her brother wore, right down to the collar that would be hopelessly stained if not completely torn off by the end of the day. “They were until you switched JJ’s shoes.” I thought for a moment. “Maybe I should put Sarah’s tennis outfit on her, since apparently we’re now going with a sports theme.”
Jack firmly grabbed my elbow and led me from the room. “They’re fine, Mellie. They’re perfect.”
He stopped in the doorway and leaned in to kiss me, making me forget whatever it was that we’d been discussing. The doorbell rang and he lifted his head. “We’ll continue this later. Right now let’s all be on our best behavior so we make a good impression.”
“Shouldn’t she be trying to impress us?” I asked as we made our way down the stairs.
“We’ve passed that point, Mellie, don’t you think?” His voice held a note of desperation. “The doorbell’s working again at least, so I’ll take that as a good sign,” he said optimistically.
Mrs. Houlihan, with the two puppies nipping at her heels, had already opened the door and was taking Jayne’s coat by the time we reached the foyer. Jayne hung back in the vestibule, looking smaller than I remembered, her face showing her uncertainty. She wore a pale blue sweater and neatly pressed navy pants, her only concession to fashion a pair of pearl earrings.