Free Conklin's Foundation (Conklin's Trilogy) by Brooke Page Page A

life, especially since I wanted Tyler to be in my life more than the air I breathed.  Getting along with his mom would be a must, no matter what his relationship with her was like.
    Just as I was about to take my lunch break , my phone rang.  I smiled when I saw it was a Facetime call from Heather, which meant one thing.
    “Auntie B!” a small voice squealed.  She was smiling brightly through the phone with two pigtails on top of her head.
    “Hi Josie!  What are you and Mommy doing?”  I asked, curious why she called me midday.  Oh no!  Maybe she was going into labor and needed my help!
    “Is Mommy okay, Josie?”  I asked with concern.
    Josie giggled, bringing the phone closer to her face so I could only see her teeth and chin.  Then I heard Heather in the background telling Josie to pull the phone away from her face.  Phew , she didn’t sound in distress.  Josie’s face came back into view.
    “Yes, I bugged her to call you.  I miss you.  When are you going to babysit me?” she squeaked, furrowing her little eyebrows.
    I smiled at her.  While being in my without Tyler phase, I had ignored my darling niece.   “I know Josie. We will play tomorrow, okay?  After Christmas I will take you somewhere fun, sound good?”
    I had lost her attention already. She was fidgeting with something, the phone was crooked on her face and her eyes were focused on something else.
    “ Josie!”  I heard Heather say in the background to get her attention.
    “Okay, Aunt B,” her little voice s queaked, bringing her big brown eyes back to me.  She looked so much like Heather it was scary.
    The screen on the phone moved so it was facing Heather.  Her face barely swollen , looking through the phone at me.  She was only days away from her due date, and I’m sure she was miserable.
    “So Mom told me you were bringing Tyler to Christmas Eve and Christmas morning brunch?”  Heather beamed, getting right to the point.
    “Yes, I am.  How was Mom when you talked to her? Did she seem off?  Or upset?”  I asked.
    “She was fine . Very excited that you and Tyler are trying to work it out.  Why?  You have that nervous face on, you know when you bite your lip and scrunch your eyebrows together.  Did something happen between you and Mom?”
    “I said some things to her at the Christmas party.  Clearly she is over it though,” I sighed.
    “Things like what?” s he questioned, making a face and resituating herself on her sofa, causing the screen to quake.
    “It’s not important.  How are you feeling?”  I aske d, knowing she would be more than happy to talk about herself and change the subject.
    “Oh, Becca…I’m miserable!”
    I laughed in my head.  Heather, so dramatic.
     
    ~
    At 5:30pm Corey and I took off out of the deserted office down the elevator.  Corey got off at the main lobby, wishing me a good Christmas.   I descended down the elevator to the garage parking ramp.  I was beyond giddy. It had been three long days since I saw Tyler, and I was anxious all over.  My skin felt extra sensitive and was in desperate need of his touch.  I decided to go to my condo and do some laundry since I would be moving around the next four days.  I needed to wash my favorite jeans anyway so they would go back to fitting me.
    I plugged my phone in to my stereo and cranked up some music after I started a load.  I hadn’t cleaned my bathroom in a while, and it needed it badly. I refused to hire a housekeeper.  There was no reason I couldn’t clean my own living space. I was going to have to distract myself so I wouldn’t get lost day dreaming about Tyler.
    I washed my hands once I was finished, feeling damp and sweaty in my baggy FSU t-shirt and sweats.  My hair was a mess, my pony tail flopping to the side with multiple dark strands falling out and cascading around and over my face.  I needed a shower badly.  Striping of my clothes, I hopped in the shower.  I wanted to be extra clean and shiny for