Page 5
Evelyn nods, seemingly satisfied, and continues leading me deeper into the house.
She eventually stops in a cozy-looking living room, an odd contrast to the rest of the house. It’s warm and inviting, with plush couches, bookshelves filled to the brim, and a soft area rug that looks like it could swallowyou whole.
“This is where Robbie usually hangs out in the evenings,” Evelyn says, gesturing to the room. Then she calls out, “Robbie!”
There’s a pause, followed by the sound of small footsteps. A moment later, a little boy peeks out from behind one of the couches.
He’s tiny for his age, with messy brown hair and wide hazel eyes. Oddly, he reminds me nothing of Cole who has dark, nearly black hair and green eyes.
Robbie clutches a stuffed dinosaur who I presume to be Rexy to his chest, his gaze flitting between me and Evelyn.
“This is Annie,” Evelyn says in a soft, kind voice, gesturing at me. “She’s going to hang out with you tonight.”
Robbie doesn’t say anything, just shifts his weight from one foot to the other, the dinosaur crinkling slightly in his grip.
“Hi, Robbie,” I say softly, crouching down to his level. “It’s nice to meet you.”
He doesn’t respond, but his grip on the dinosaur loosens slightly. I take that as a good sign.
“Can you come over here and say hi, Robbie?” Evelyn says, but I see her glance at her watch again.
Robbie hesitates, glancing at me and then at Evelyn. Finally, he takes a few tentative steps forward, the soft thud of his small feet on the plush rug barely audible. He stops a few feet away, clutching Rexy like a lifeline.
“Hi,” he says quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
I smile, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. “That’s Rexy, right?” I nod toward the stuffed dinosaur in his hands.
His eyes brighten slightly, and he nods. “Yeah.”
“He looks pretty cool,” I say. “What kind of dinosaur is he?”
Robbie’s small brow furrows as he considers the question. “He’s a T-Rex.”
“Of course,” I say with a grin. “The king of the dinosaurs.”
The corners of his mouth twitch upward, almost like he’s fighting a smile. Progress.
Am I good with kids? Who knew?
“All right, you two,” Evelyn cuts in briskly, her tone still kind but clearly in a rush. She does take the time though to stoop to Robbie’s level. “Robbie, be good for Annie. I will be back after the show to wait for your dad, but you’ll be asleep by then, okay?”
“Okay,” he says softly, glancing at her before looking back at me.
Evelyn turns to me, pulling a set of keys from her pocket. “The house keys, just in case. I’m going to set the alarm, so don’t wander outside. Keep everything locked after I leave, and don’t let anyone in. Anyone who needs to be in the house can get in on their own. If you need anything,call.”
“Got it,” I say, taking the keys.
She lowers her voice a bit. “You’ll do fine. He’s a sweet kid, just a little shy. Give him time.”
She checks her watch again, muttering something under her breath before turning to Robbie one last time and kneeling to give him a hug. “Goodnight, sweetheart. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Robbie nods and squeezes her back with his little arms then gives her a small wave as she turns and heads for the door. The click of her heels disappears down the hall, leaving the two of us alone.
Evelyn hesitates for a moment, her gaze flicking to Robbie. “You be good, okay, kiddo?”
Robbie nods, his grip on the dinosaur tightening again.
With that, she’s gone, the door closing behind her with a decisive click.
She eventually stops in a cozy-looking living room, an odd contrast to the rest of the house. It’s warm and inviting, with plush couches, bookshelves filled to the brim, and a soft area rug that looks like it could swallowyou whole.
“This is where Robbie usually hangs out in the evenings,” Evelyn says, gesturing to the room. Then she calls out, “Robbie!”
There’s a pause, followed by the sound of small footsteps. A moment later, a little boy peeks out from behind one of the couches.
He’s tiny for his age, with messy brown hair and wide hazel eyes. Oddly, he reminds me nothing of Cole who has dark, nearly black hair and green eyes.
Robbie clutches a stuffed dinosaur who I presume to be Rexy to his chest, his gaze flitting between me and Evelyn.
“This is Annie,” Evelyn says in a soft, kind voice, gesturing at me. “She’s going to hang out with you tonight.”
Robbie doesn’t say anything, just shifts his weight from one foot to the other, the dinosaur crinkling slightly in his grip.
“Hi, Robbie,” I say softly, crouching down to his level. “It’s nice to meet you.”
He doesn’t respond, but his grip on the dinosaur loosens slightly. I take that as a good sign.
“Can you come over here and say hi, Robbie?” Evelyn says, but I see her glance at her watch again.
Robbie hesitates, glancing at me and then at Evelyn. Finally, he takes a few tentative steps forward, the soft thud of his small feet on the plush rug barely audible. He stops a few feet away, clutching Rexy like a lifeline.
“Hi,” he says quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
I smile, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. “That’s Rexy, right?” I nod toward the stuffed dinosaur in his hands.
His eyes brighten slightly, and he nods. “Yeah.”
“He looks pretty cool,” I say. “What kind of dinosaur is he?”
Robbie’s small brow furrows as he considers the question. “He’s a T-Rex.”
“Of course,” I say with a grin. “The king of the dinosaurs.”
The corners of his mouth twitch upward, almost like he’s fighting a smile. Progress.
Am I good with kids? Who knew?
“All right, you two,” Evelyn cuts in briskly, her tone still kind but clearly in a rush. She does take the time though to stoop to Robbie’s level. “Robbie, be good for Annie. I will be back after the show to wait for your dad, but you’ll be asleep by then, okay?”
“Okay,” he says softly, glancing at her before looking back at me.
Evelyn turns to me, pulling a set of keys from her pocket. “The house keys, just in case. I’m going to set the alarm, so don’t wander outside. Keep everything locked after I leave, and don’t let anyone in. Anyone who needs to be in the house can get in on their own. If you need anything,call.”
“Got it,” I say, taking the keys.
She lowers her voice a bit. “You’ll do fine. He’s a sweet kid, just a little shy. Give him time.”
She checks her watch again, muttering something under her breath before turning to Robbie one last time and kneeling to give him a hug. “Goodnight, sweetheart. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Robbie nods and squeezes her back with his little arms then gives her a small wave as she turns and heads for the door. The click of her heels disappears down the hall, leaving the two of us alone.
Evelyn hesitates for a moment, her gaze flicking to Robbie. “You be good, okay, kiddo?”
Robbie nods, his grip on the dinosaur tightening again.
With that, she’s gone, the door closing behind her with a decisive click.
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