The lifeguard

Chapter 8: Time for a Plan B

I gave Max a nervous laugh, I wasn’t really good with flirting as much as I was attracted to him I couldn’t even think about doing anything tonight. I was a nervous wreck, almost as if Max could tell what I was thinking he rolled onto his side and tapped the cushion for me to lay next to him. I gave him a big smile and jumped beside him, he wrapped his arms around my waist as I picked a movie to watch on TV. I picked a comedy to put on, I didn’t even make it through the beginning and I dosed off.

I awoke to Jeremy poking my eye,

“Mommy! Mommy!”

I opened my eyes it was daylight, I immediately jumped up realizing I slept all night and neither Ali or Angel have woken up! I ran up the stairs to Ali’s room she wasn’t in her bed, I looked under her bed, in her closet and around her toys. I didn’t see her anywhere, I was beginning to feel my heart beat through my chest. I ran to my room as quickly as I could and spotted Angel sleeping peacefully in her bassinet next to my bed and in my bed was Max sleeping with Ali in his arms.

I stopped and looked at them sleep, I haven’t had a full night sleep since I was a teenager but I was a bit worried about the kids. I just met Max, I didn’t know him that well and I can see my kids really liked him. I saw a few bottles of formula beside the bed, I looked over at Max and he looked so peaceful and happy, little Ali looked even smaller next to him.

I watched them all for a few more moments and decided to head downstairs and get breakfast started and get some coffee brewing. Jeremy was coloring a picture at the table while I prepared breakfast, I heard Max coming down the stairs I peeped around the corner and he had Angel in one arm and Ali in the next and he looked exhausted.

I grabbed Ali and sat her down next to Jeremy then grabbed Angel giving her a big snuggle. I looked up at Max he sat at the table not saying a word, I rubbed his back,

“Thank you for letting me sleep in although you know you don’t need to do that I could of gotten up, next time just wake me up ok.”

He looked me over, “I have no idea how you do it! You fell asleep, and you were sleeping so peacefully, I decided to let you get a bit more sleep. Angel woke up hungry, I seen how you made bottles last night so made her a bottle and went to give it to her, she snuggled right up to me I couldn’t help but to fall asleep. I am barely asleep and Ali wakes up then she realizes I’m here and she was so excited she wouldn’t let me go. I got her to sleep next to me then Angel wakes up again, I make her another bottle but this time Ali is holding me so tight I couldn’t get up, I brought her downstairs with me in one arm Angel in the other tried making a bottle. I sat Ali on the counter she was half asleep almost fell down, Angel was hungry and really cranky so I had to manage to make a bottle with no hands. I’m pretty sure I fell asleep after that before both of them. I know I woke up and put Angel in her bed at one point.”

I looked at him and began to laugh, “It’s a challenge sometimes, but thank you I can’t even remember the last time I slept an entire night. I do appreciate it but don’t worry I’m used to it, if I’m sleeping just wake me up. I’m usually a really light sleeper, I’m not sure how I didn’t hear anything.”

I heard a knock at the door and walked over and looked through the window, it was Danny.

I opened the door as he came in and gave all the kids hug, he seen Max was still here and gave me a glance,

“Hey Max, thought you were going to sleep here tonight for the first time.” He asked.

Without hesitation Max blurts out, “What sleep?”

Just then Danny grabs him and pulls him up by his shirt and puts him up against the wall,

“What the f**k is that supposed to mean?”

Max just laughs, “Sorry buddy, yeah that didn’t sound right. I let Bri sleep and I tried to take care of the kids and I’m so tired that didn’t sound good. Those girls kept me up almost all night!”

Danny looked over at me as I nodded and tried to gesture for him to let him go. Danny let him down and gave him a quick apology. Max wiped his shoulder off and sat down to eat like nothing happened.

I heard my phone right, it was unknown number, I looked at the time it was just part 9, I got nervous to answer but had to suck it up and answer,

“Hello?”

“Hi, is this Bri Clarke?”

“Yes it is.”

“Hi Miss Clarke, this is Dianna, we spoke the other day from victim services?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“I am just calling to let you know that Mr Wilson was just released, I also wanted to go over a few things with you if that was ok?”

“Sure.”

“Ok great, this is his parole restrictions, after our last conversation I went over with the board and we added a few different restrictions, Mr Wilson is to keep the peace, he is to report to his probation officer weekly, he is not to have any contact with Ms. Clarke or her children, if Ms Clarke would like to have contact with Mr Wilson she simply needs to fill out a form through his parole officer requesting a change to his parole restrictions, Mr Wilson is not to be within 100 yards of Ms Clarke or her children and Mr Wilson is not aloud to be in the city limits of Ross Bay.”

I listened over her restriction, the last one she said is the city limits of Ross Bay? Does that mean she told him where we are?

“The last one, does he get a copy of this? Does he know where I am?”

“Not exactly he only knows you reside in Ross Bay, he needs to know where he’s limits are Ma’am we can’t say you aren’t aloud in her city, then we are setting him up for failure.”

“Are you kidding me? Setting him up for failure? What about me? What about my kids? You have literally just set us up for failure! Can you guys be any stupider!”

With that I hung the phone up without hearing another word, I looked over at the table and all eyes where on me. I looked at Danny with tears in my eyes and shook my head,

“He knows where we are.”