only asking because of the new shipment that’s just come in.”
“I could do a few extra hours…next week.” Only for next week. She actually liked getting away to Ava’s apartment just so that she could have her own space, even if it meant she was working for Ava. She got paid, too, which was another bonus. A few hours were enough for her and she didn’t really want to work more than that. She left that to Carlos.
“Thanks.” She heard her sister sigh. “It’s all happening too quickly. I thought it was a sales spike, but it seems like I reached a tipping point, and the sales are just pouring in.”
“Shouldn’t you be happy?”
“I am,” said Ava, sounding as glum as ever. “Maybe you could put Tori into childcare or something for a few hours—if Mom can’t look after her yet? I mean until she’s well enough herself?”
“I rang you to talk about your orders going through the roof and you’re trying to tell me how to arrange my childcare?”
Rona didn’t like it when Ava tried to tell her how to run her own life. Tori still wasn’t sleeping through the night and Ava had no idea what that was like or how hard things were for her. Tori was a lively little baby and Rona was just about coping.
“I’m sorry,” said Ava. “I’m trying to plan ahead and figure out what I need to do. Kim’s made some suggestions and I’m thinking things over.”
“What’s Kim got to do with anything? I can make suggestions. I have ideas too. How come you never ask me?”
“I didn’t ask her. She suggested them because the customer queries were going through the roof.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“I’m not sure yet but I might need more of your help.”
“There’s only so much I can do but if you’re willing to pay me—”
“I always pay you. I’m not running a sweatshop here. I think I pay you quite well.”
“Yeah,” said Rona begrudgingly, “You do.”
“I have a few ideas, but I need to discuss them with Nico first.”
Rona envied them their close bond. It was early days for them yet; she wondered how much it would change when they’d been married as long as she and Carlos had been.
Chapter 3
“Mommy’s going out tonight,” Rona sang, smoothing down her bright pink dress that almost fit her like a second skin. She admired her reflection in the mirror and smiled. She looked hot and she knew it.
“Tha-tha-tha-tha!” Tori shrieked and slammed the drum set with her doll.
“Tha-tha!” said Rona in return. She adored her little girl even though Tori wore her out most days. But she wouldn’t change anything for the world.
Rona stared at her cherub with her heart aglow. Tori sat happily caged within the playpen. Rona had no option but to put her there while she took a shower and got ready.
She didn’t go out much in the evenings, even though this was her second time out in nearly two weeks. She was looking forward to it. Any excuse to get dressed up and forget her daily grind. With Carlos working too hard to notice that things were slipping in their relationship she had taken matters into her own hands. A mid-week date night for no apparent reason was her answer. Especially since Grandma was now feeling better again.
She turned to the side and checked out her profile; first from the right and then the left. “Still fits,” she murmured smugly as she smoothed her hand over her belly. Turning her back to the mirror, she checked her rear view.
Her bottom didn’t look bad either—her hips were almost back into shape.
She was as thin as she’d been before she’d given birth.
“Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma,” gurgled Tori. She stamped excitedly on the padded mat of the playpen and eagerly held her hands out to Rona.
“No-no-no, baby. Grandma will be here.”
Come on, mom. She glanced at her watch. It was almost six-thirty. Time for Carlos to be home too.
Angry, Tori bent down and threw her Baby Stella doll at Rona.
“No,” Rona said firmly. She picked it up and
“I could do a few extra hours…next week.” Only for next week. She actually liked getting away to Ava’s apartment just so that she could have her own space, even if it meant she was working for Ava. She got paid, too, which was another bonus. A few hours were enough for her and she didn’t really want to work more than that. She left that to Carlos.
“Thanks.” She heard her sister sigh. “It’s all happening too quickly. I thought it was a sales spike, but it seems like I reached a tipping point, and the sales are just pouring in.”
“Shouldn’t you be happy?”
“I am,” said Ava, sounding as glum as ever. “Maybe you could put Tori into childcare or something for a few hours—if Mom can’t look after her yet? I mean until she’s well enough herself?”
“I rang you to talk about your orders going through the roof and you’re trying to tell me how to arrange my childcare?”
Rona didn’t like it when Ava tried to tell her how to run her own life. Tori still wasn’t sleeping through the night and Ava had no idea what that was like or how hard things were for her. Tori was a lively little baby and Rona was just about coping.
“I’m sorry,” said Ava. “I’m trying to plan ahead and figure out what I need to do. Kim’s made some suggestions and I’m thinking things over.”
“What’s Kim got to do with anything? I can make suggestions. I have ideas too. How come you never ask me?”
“I didn’t ask her. She suggested them because the customer queries were going through the roof.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“I’m not sure yet but I might need more of your help.”
“There’s only so much I can do but if you’re willing to pay me—”
“I always pay you. I’m not running a sweatshop here. I think I pay you quite well.”
“Yeah,” said Rona begrudgingly, “You do.”
“I have a few ideas, but I need to discuss them with Nico first.”
Rona envied them their close bond. It was early days for them yet; she wondered how much it would change when they’d been married as long as she and Carlos had been.
Chapter 3
“Mommy’s going out tonight,” Rona sang, smoothing down her bright pink dress that almost fit her like a second skin. She admired her reflection in the mirror and smiled. She looked hot and she knew it.
“Tha-tha-tha-tha!” Tori shrieked and slammed the drum set with her doll.
“Tha-tha!” said Rona in return. She adored her little girl even though Tori wore her out most days. But she wouldn’t change anything for the world.
Rona stared at her cherub with her heart aglow. Tori sat happily caged within the playpen. Rona had no option but to put her there while she took a shower and got ready.
She didn’t go out much in the evenings, even though this was her second time out in nearly two weeks. She was looking forward to it. Any excuse to get dressed up and forget her daily grind. With Carlos working too hard to notice that things were slipping in their relationship she had taken matters into her own hands. A mid-week date night for no apparent reason was her answer. Especially since Grandma was now feeling better again.
She turned to the side and checked out her profile; first from the right and then the left. “Still fits,” she murmured smugly as she smoothed her hand over her belly. Turning her back to the mirror, she checked her rear view.
Her bottom didn’t look bad either—her hips were almost back into shape.
She was as thin as she’d been before she’d given birth.
“Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma,” gurgled Tori. She stamped excitedly on the padded mat of the playpen and eagerly held her hands out to Rona.
“No-no-no, baby. Grandma will be here.”
Come on, mom. She glanced at her watch. It was almost six-thirty. Time for Carlos to be home too.
Angry, Tori bent down and threw her Baby Stella doll at Rona.
“No,” Rona said firmly. She picked it up and
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