its only a little thing

"MOM!" Carson didn't know what else to say.

When he came home from work on such a snowy day,  there was no Brittany  and Theo. Just a note that she'd gone to Theo's grandparents' house. "Did YOU do something?"

"What are you talking about?" She was never forthcoming about anything with him.

"Did you tell Brittany..she..she should go see Theo's grandparents? You know, the ones who don't want to see him."

"No. Of course, not."

Suddenly, he felt so ill as if something awful might happen. Didn't she know? Theo's father had a wife and she lived there too.

He shut his eyes tight. What if there was some sort of domestic violence. He couldn't let anything happened to Theo. The first thought that popped into his head. Well, there was Brittany to think about, too.

Why wasn't she home, making cookies with Theo? Or doing something educational, where they ended up talking baby talk, instead of being grownup.

He didn't know what else to do, but pace the kitchen floor and wait.

"This is all your fault!" He had to blame someone.

"I can't stay long." Brittany kept grinning, even if Theo was making a nuisance of himself. He was big and heavy, to lug around, but she'd called Essie earlier. Actually, she gone through some stuff of Carson's , and found Essie's phone number.

She told her who she was. And would it be weird if they could meet?

Essie was alone. Except for the baby, and she was asleep in her crib.

"Oh, its so cold out. I hope February warms up." Brittany made note that January was just way too long. Actually, she was running out of things to say.

She let Theo down before he bit her. She told him not to touch anything. Naturally, he went for a vase on the coffee table and was on it before Brittany could even get to him.

"I'm so sorry. He's like..well..more of a bear, right now than my little angel. Just wait." She sighed. "It won't be long, you'll have to put away, stuff like that."

"Suppose so." Essie motioned her to sit on the sofa. Brittany looked around, it was like being in a showroom. Actually, something Brittany always wanted, but doubted she ever would. She could see Theo flopping on the coffee table, already. And he did. He did a hand stand on the couch.

Essie giggled. Even clapped.

"Oh..don't even get him started." Brittany sucked in a breath. She knew she better hurry up with this, before she lost her nerve. "Listen, Carson's been a bit upset, lately."

"Oh." Essie looked as if she didn't know what she meant.

"I think he's been crying at night. I know he wouldn't want me to know, but he's hurt."

"How so?" Essie winced.

Brittany sighed.

"I think he'd like to know the truth, about you and the baby." As soon as Brittany said it, she knew she shouldn't have. Of course, Theo fretted for a bottle and she didn't bring one.

Essie winced ever so sadly. "Its not his to worry about." She said ever so quickly.

"What did he do?" Brittany thought she needed to know. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Why would she ask such a foolish thing? Wasn't she endangering herself, just being here?

She'd lied to Carson to begin with, and she knew how he felt about liars.