my neighbor.” It was impossible to hide the surprise from her voice. “Did you find that here?”
“No, she stopped by with a gift yesterday and must’ve dropped it. Can you give it to her for me? It’ll save me the trip.”
Kylie thumped her feet against the jogger. “I go play now, Mama!”
“Hold up, Ky.” She turned to the woman. “Sure, I’d be happy to. She actually lives in the same complex as me.” Of course this woman isn’t part of a crime ring. She’s just another mom at the park. “I’m Embry, by the way.”
The woman reached across the jogger to shake her hand. “Lily. So nice meeting you. Please give Sylvia my best.” Stealing a look at Kylie, who was inching down the seat of the jogger, she said in a timid voice, “I was thinking about her all day yesterday. How is she?”
“You mean her wrist?”
“No.” She frowned. “She hasn’t told you about—”
Embry stiffened as she recalled the odd request. What if Sylvia had been written up at work? “Told me what?” she asked in a measured tone.
“I don’t mean to gossip,” she started, lowering her voice to a whisper, “but she found out her boyfriend is married with a baby. You didn’t know?”
Embry clamped a hand to her mouth. This was terrible. Why hadn’t she said anything? “I didn’t. That’s awful.”
Kylie’s feet touched the ground, and she stood. “We go now, Mama?”
“One sec. How about you dash over to the big tree next to the bench and back, and then we’ll go play?” She watched as Kylie clumsily began skipping across the dewy grass.
“Sorry. I know you need to go with her. And I hope Sylvia doesn’t mind I told you.” She gave her a quizzical look, as though she was trying to work something out in her head. “The way she blurted it out made me think she was telling everyone. She was really upset. Crying,” she added, her eyes wide. “But maybe she felt more comfortable telling someone she doesn’t know well. She works with my husband, and we’ve only met twice.”
“Wow. I had no idea that she had a boyfriend. What a horrible thing to discover.” She pocketed the license and thought back to their conversation on Sunday night. Why hadn’t she said anything then? “I’ll be sure to give this to her.” She wanted to ask more questions, but Kylie was back.
“It was really nice meeting you. And you,” Lily said, smiling at Kylie, who was loping around the jogger. “I don’t know many other moms. It can be lonely.”
“Well, if you’re ever visiting Sylvia, stop by and say hi. We’re across from her in the lower unit.”
“I’d like that. Bye.” Lily started down the path as Embry followed Kylie, her hand firmly against Carson’s back. It was only ten past eight in the morning, but she felt like she’d been up for hours. That was the strangest thing, she thought. It was hard to imagine Sylvia crying in front of anyone. She was always so contained.
Kylie came to an abrupt stop and plopped onto her bottom, pulling her foot to her lap. “I take off my shoes, Mama.”
“Let’s leave them on, okay? No bare feet at the park. It’s the rule.”
But the shoe was already off, and now she was busy peeling her white sock from her foot. She threw it above her head and laughed. “Look, Mama! No shoes, just like Carsie.”
“Carson doesn’t have shoes on because he always yanks them off. Now put your sock back on.”
It was too late. She had already scrambled to her feet and was running for the play structure, wearing only one shoe.
Embry sighed and picked up the discarded sock and shoe. What was she going to do once Carson started walking? Buy leashes for her children? She pushed the jogger to the far side of the path and stepped on the brake bar before following Kylie, who was busy climbing onto a big wooden fire truck.
Should she insist she put on her shoe? She tried to remember what she’d read in the parenting book, but her mind was fuzzy. It was hard to operate on such little sleep. Well, it was a battle she didn’t feel like taking on. Score one for Kylie. Carson stirred in his carrier, and Embry bounced a little, hoping he wouldn’t start to fuss.
“I drive it, Mama! Wee-ooo, wee-ooo,” she sang.
“Are you going to put out a fire?”
“Yes, Mama!” She began making a loud siren noise again.