“Who told you I was quitting my job?”
Seth spun around so fast he almost knocked over a folding chair.
Heather was standing next to a table stacked with wedding programs. She was wearing the navy dress I’d picked out to match my bouquet.
Neither of them said anything.
Then Seth smiled.
It wasn’t his normal smile. It was the one he uses on customers when they’re upset about an electrical bill and he wants them to think everything’s under control.
“Natalie. Hey. You’re not supposed to see me before the ceremony.”
“Answer my question.”
The smile disappeared.
Heather looked back and forth between us.
“Did you not know about the daycare arrangement?”
“What daycare arrangement?”
Seth stepped toward me.
“Let’s not do this right now.”
I stepped back.
“Heather. What exactly did Seth tell you?”
She swallowed.
“He said you wanted to take some time off after the wedding. That you were thinking about leaving the dental office.”
“I never said that.”
“He told me you’d watch the kids while I’m at work.”
“For how long?”
She looked at her brother.
“Until next summer.”
My stomach dropped.
“Next summer?”
Seth rubbed the back of his neck.
“It’s not as bad as it sounds.”
“Three kids. Ten hours a day. Five days a week. For almost a year?”
“Natalie—”
“Is that what you promised her?”
He hesitated.
That hesitation was my answer.
I turned to Heather.
“I haven’t quit my job. I’ve never even thought about quitting my job.”
Her face changed.
“But Seth said you already talked to your boss.”
I pulled my phone out of the little satin purse Paige gave me that morning. My hands were shaking so badly I typed in the wrong passcode twice.
Finally I opened Dr. Bennett’s email.
Subject: Office Manager Position.
I held it out to Heather.
“This came Wednesday. Dr. Bennett offered me a promotion. I’m supposed to give her my answer Monday.”
Heather read the first paragraph. She frowned.
“You’re getting promoted?”
“Yes.”
Seth leaned in.
“You didn’t tell me you were taking it.”
“I haven’t taken it yet.”
“Exactly. So I figured—”
“You figured what?”
He sighed.
“I figured maybe this was a good time for us to rethink things.”
“Us?”
“Your schedule. Heather’s situation. Everything.”
“Then why wasn’t I part of the conversation?”
Heather lowered my phone.
“Seth. You told me Natalie wanted this.”
“She loves the kids.”
“That’s not what I asked you.”
He turned on his sister.
“Don’t act like I forced you into anything. You were thrilled when I came up with this.”
Heather went pale.
“I was thrilled because you said she’d agreed.”
Sophia Rivers is an experienced News Content Editor with a sharp eye for detail and a passion for delivering accurate and engaging news stories. At TheArchivists, she specializes in curating, editing, and presenting news content that informs and resonates with a global audience.
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