Page 28 of Size Game

Sadie laughs and kisses his cheek before he puts her down. “Uncle Phil! Uncle Phil! Look what I got!”

She runs back to her toys and starts to show him her new things. Phil kneels down to talk with her about her new toys, and I think back to last night when Claire was handing out the cake to the other children. She was so calm and happy and caring. She really clicked with them, and I know she’s taken a liking to Sadie.

Phil comes back over to me, and we give each other a hug with a hearty pat on the back.

“Sorry I couldn’t make it, man. There was a snag with a shipment, so I had to be at the office.”

I assure him that it’s perfectly acceptable and that Sadie is happy that he’s here now. Phil smiles and hands Sadie the presents he got for her. She happily rips open the paper and the packages. Phil helps her with the stubborn tape and stuck knots in ribbons. She gives him big hugs after every present and thanks him thoroughly.

After the last present is opened, she plays with everything in the living room. Phil and I head to the kitchen and sit at the island. I pour us each a drink, and we sip them as we talk.

“How was the party?”

“It went really well. Everyone that Sadie really wanted to see was there.”

“Was everyoneyoureally wanted to see there?”

He bounces his eyebrows at me, and I look at him with playful disgust. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Bullshit,” he whispers.

I sip my drink as coyly as possible.

“You hired her because you fucked her, didn’t you?”

“That—that isnotwhy I hired her.”

We chat a little more about the matter. Well, mostly he just teases me about her. I tell him about our encounters with each other, careful not to say certain things too loudly. He listens to my stories rather intently and really seems to be getting into them. I end my tales with last night and how she seemed to be thoroughly pleased before falling asleep in my arms. He gets excited, and then I let him down with how she abruptly left this morning.

He sits there stunned for a moment before sipping his drink. He ruminates on the stories I’ve told him, then looks up at me and smirks.

“So, you like her?”

“What?” I nearly spit out my drink.

“Come on. You like her. You brought her back here after the party, and she helped you put Sadie to bed. Then she—” He snickers. “—helps you to bed. She stayed the night.”

“And then she left.”

“Okay, how do you feel about her? Tell me honestly, bro.”

I sit there for a while. I have my lips on the rim of my glass, and I look over at Sadie playing in the living room. There are feelings there, I can’t deny it. But do I really want them on the surface? Can I handle putting myself out there just to watch her leave again?

“You’re right. I do really like her. I want her to come back and not leave. Not in a creepy way, but I want her to come to bed and stay the next morning.”

Phil nods, then sets his glass down and shrugs. “You gotta tell her, dude.”

“How can I?”

“Call her up. If you don’t you’ll regret it. At least if you get a no you can move on.”

“And if I get a no?”

“Then you’ll know. But you’re playing with an if. Call her and find out before you start worrying about what may be.”

We finish our drinks, then help Sadie get some of her toys back up to her room. Phil stays for a while longer, long enough to have at least one tea party and one makeover from Sadie. I thank him for coming by and assure him that I will call Claire. He tells me to call him later if I need a friend, and I thank him for the sentiment.

I get Sadie ready for a bath and into the tub. I know that I have at least an hour before I should get her dried off and in pajamas. It doesn’t take her that long to wash up, but she has those weird bath crayons and a small basket of bath toys, so I know I have some time.