Childish

19

The house was bigger than I expected. The outside had dark gray siding with a white front door. Naomi stepped inside and flipped on the light switch. The living room and kitchen were one open room. The carpet stopped halfway through and turned into hardwood floors, or something like it, as it entered the kitchen. A large island/bar separated the counters and cabinets from the living room. A backdoor sat tucked away in the far right corner, leading to what looked like a patio or backyard.

Naomi walked to the kitchen and set my diaper bag on the island. She made a bottle for me then set it down on the countertop. She laid me down beside it and pulled my boots off. She shed her coat and stuck it on the back of one of the bar stools. Then she lifted me back into her arms and held the bottle for me as I drank. She walked out into the living room, going to the steps that were on the left by the door. The living room was empty except for a few boxes that were already brought over.

Naomi walked up the steps and went through the door on the right. Most of my things were already in the room, including my crib. My dresser sat to the right, the bed straight ahead in between two windows, and the left half was sectioned off with foam pieces on the floor for me to crawl on. The room was painted light pink with white stars along the floorboard and ceiling. It was definitely better than my old room.

She held me in her arms as I drank from the bottle, my head rested on her shoulder. She walked to the windows and looked out, watching the cars that drove by.

I pulled the bottle from my mouth and yawned. Suddenly, I wasn't so tired anymore. "Can I ask you something?"

She looked down at me. "Of course, sweetie."

"Do you like it here?"

"What, here at this house?"

I shook my head. "No, here in Alpine."

She looked back out the window. "I grew up here. My parents live behind the grocery store in the house I grew up in. Why do you ask?"

"I still feel kinda new here and I don't really know the town that well."

"Maybe we should take a drive one day. I can show you around town. We have a few parks that I think you'd like."

I turned to look out the window just as the moving truck pulled up in the driveway.

Naomi turned her back to the window and sat in the sill. I was surprised it was big enough to sit on, almost as if it were made for someone to sit in it. "Lyla, can I tell you something?"

I nodded hesitantly. I sat down in her lap and looked up at her.

She brushed the hair from my face. "I had no idea how bad things had gotten. Alex's father had me run errands for him to keep me busy. I didn't know he was doing such awful stuff to you. I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that, sweetie. I won't let that happen again."

Naomi didn't have as much say in what happened within Alpine like Alex did. She was only a secretary. I wanted to believe that she would keep me safe but her words didn't comfort me like they should have.

I looked back at the door as I heard footsteps coming toward us. Alex came into view and stopped in the doorway when he saw us.

"You're not talking about me, are you?"

I smiled. "Maybe."

He shook his head. "I don't talk about you when you're not around."

"That's a lie and you know it."

He smiled but turned his gaze to Naomi. "Can you help me carry Lyla's toy box in? I could manage it on my own if there weren't so many toys in it."

I rolled my eyes.

Naomi smiled. "Sure." She turned to me. "Lyla, are you okay to play up here by yourself?"

I nodded.

"Don't trash this place while we're gone." Alex said as he turned to walk out of the room.

Naomi lifted me from the window sill to the floor and made sure my stuffed animals were in reach. "I'll make sure we're quick."

I looked around my room after she left, taking everything in. I wasn't sure how I felt about the move just yet but I did like my new room. It was big enough for me to play in and made me feel more at home than the other place did. I figured it might grow on me.

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Do you guys like Naomi? She's been growing on me since I first introduced her.