The shoe exchange

Bri

I didn't go to bed until well after four in the morning. It was even later when my eyes finally closed and my body gave into sleep.

My mind was racing.

When I walked outside after the boys, it was only to give them some keys that I found lying on the living room floor. I was so caught up with their conversation that I overheard, I forgot to give them back.

I'll give them back to whoever they belong to Sunday.

It's a little after nine now and I've got a few hours before I have to go out to one of my jobs. I'm not scheduled to work at the diner until tonight. So, I'm babysitting this afternoon.

I met this couple at the diner, almost a year ago and their daughter. Her name is Rosie and she's two and a half years old now.

She's a cute little girl, she's sweet and full of energy. Some days I can barely keep up with her. It's been a while since I've watched her but I've missed her. I'm happy to be going over there this afternoon.

After making some peanut butter toast, I take it and my water to the window so I can look outside. My apartment doesn't really have much of a view, just a few trees and a couple of dumpsters.

I've seen worse.

Living among the trees is far better than living among most humans, though.

I've finished my breakfast and I go to the bathroom to shower and fix up my hair. I literally have to pull my hair up in a pony or Rosie gets it all tangled in her sticky fingers.

I'm almost finished getting ready when I hear someone knock on my front door. When I open the door I see a man standing there with a clipboard. "Are you Gabriella Kennedy?" He asks.

"Um, why?" I ask back.

Because stranger danger.

"I have your stuff in the truck if you are. If it's yours and you want it, you have to sign for everything." He's looking at me like I'm crazy.

I'm sure I'm looking at him the same way.

"That's me, but I didn't order anything." I glance around him and see a furniture truck. Beside it, or well, parked behind it is a black SUV.

I can only see the back end of the vehicle.

But I see it.

"Excuse me, just one moment." I slip on my shoes and walk past the man, down the rickety stairs, around the furniture truck , and stand in front of the SUV with three guys sitting inside. I cross my arms as I watch them looking down, I'm assuming they're all on their phones. I walk up to the hood and tap it getting their attention, They quickly glance up. "Good morning, boys."

They seem a little more wide eyed and awake.

They slowly get out of the car. "What is this? Why is that man wanting me to sign something." I ask looking between all three of them.

Jacob shakes his head, Cade looks down, and Alexander just glares at me. "Did you sign it?" He asks.

Giving him a look, I answer. "No"

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not signing for something I didn't order."

"We're your friends, B. We want you to sleep well. You work too much and way too hard to be sleeping on the floor. You deserve more than that." Jacob says, finally looking at me again.

"So, just go right back up, sign the damn paper, and let him set up the bed and couch." Alex pretty much demands.

"No." I tell them.