a dance of awkwardness

What was Josie thinking?

Even her Mom told her she shouldn't bring Carrie.

"You never want to take her anywhere?" Her mom had looked at her as if she were up to something. "Don't, you, want to be alone with Dean, as much as you can?"

Really, she didn't want to be there at the library 'going away' party for Dean, but it would look odd if she didn't. Naturally, she'd made plenty excuses to everyone when she got to the library with the baby, her mother needed some alone time with her wedding, just a few weeks away.

Asa and Audrey were so happy to see Carrie, and Josie was glad she could be on her own with the baby. At least, her Mom trusted her with Carrie. But now, well, she didn't know what to do about the ice cream cake and obviously the guy that Carrie was crazy about.

Josie called her mom. She knew her Mom hated text.

"What's up, Honey?" Her mother sounded as if she knew it would be a question about Carrie.

"Um, she's..she's into the ice cream cake."

"You're letting her have dairy?" It sounded so horrible. Josie kept focusing on Carrie, although, there was something awful manly about Sky, that she couldn't over look. Was it just the hair? Those eyes? His mouth? God, she squeezed her eyes shut. This was such a mistake being here.

She hadn't meant to get back at Dean, by showing up with her baby sister. Yes, she wanted too. She wanted to hate him, even if he was treating her like everyone else. Just not the way she wanted to be treated. And Sky said Carrie reminded him of a Chihuahua.

"Is it OK?"  Josie wanted to know from her mother. After all, Carrie was a few months old, but she knew her mom wanted to wait until she was a whole year old, before real milk.

"Just a little" Her mom told her. Immediately, she reported to Sky as if they might actually be parents. "Just a little."

He gave her a nod and wiped Carrie's fingers on a napkin as if she might have gotten into poison. Of course, Carrie didn't like it, but he held her and her sticky fingers went right for the chest hairs. Naturally, she drooled all over him, happily.

A part of Josie wished she could be Carrie, right there in Sky's lap, and yet she felt so sad when she looked back at Dean with his arm around Vada and even Gage was there, all smiles.

For the first time, she knew she didn't belong with him. She was invisible now.

"I should take her before she gives, you, anymore trouble." Josie said as she took Carrie from Sky.

"That's OK," he said just as his chunk of melting ice cream landed on her new wedge sandals. Now he was cleaning her feet. He told her to sit while he went to get a warm wet wash cloth.

Josie gritted as he touched her ankles. She'd forgot to shave this morning since she thought there was no reason too. She didn't have a boyfriend.

She did her best not to give any emotion away as Carrie's sticky fingers found Josie's cheek. Carrie gave Josie a loving wet dollop of drool.

Josie wanted to roll her eyes, but she felt so giddy in Sky's presence. How could that be?