?I?ll bring her back some maracas.?
Had two months almost passed? I kissed Laurie?s soft fuzzy head, then changed her diaper and pulled the child development book off my shelf. I quickly turned to the chapter on the second month. I skimmed through it, realizing I was holding my breath.
A box entitled ?May Possibly? stated that holding the head up at a 90-degree angle was something an infant may possibly do at 2 z months. So about 10 weeks.
Yeah. Laurie wasn?t behind!
My squirrel was right on track. I did a little jig with Laurie.
I held her up and positioned her so her face was looking down at me and her legs were tilting up.
?You?re right on track, bunny girl. Practically a genius!?
She gave me the ?scary eye? look, irises pointing down with the whites of the eyes towering above.
I hugged her to me. ?Okay, you?re practically a genius but not when you give me that look. Let?s go on a stakeout! You can use your supergroovy eyes and help mommy see any monkey business.?
It was almost four thirty. I would have to hightail it out of the house in order to catch Alan leaving his office.
I packed Laurie into the car along with plenty of diapers, a change of clothes in case her diaper leaked again, and water for me. I wanted to pack snacks, but how was I ever going to lose any weight doing that?
I parked down the street from Alan?s office and waited. It looked as though the building had only one entrance and exit. No attached parking garage that he could sneak out from. After about fifteen minutes I was rewarded by Alan leaving and locking up the storefront. He was accompanied by a woman with short gray hair. They exchanged words and departed in different directions.
I watch Alan walk down the street. I assumed he was heading to his car, but I didn?t want to lose track of him. I needed binoculars.
Through the rearview mirror I glanced at Laurie in her car seat. Her tiny face was reflected in the Elmo mirror pinned to the backseat. She was sound asleep. I started the car and nosed out of my spot.
Alan was climbing into a silver Lexus. I hesitated in pulling out of my parking space as I wanted to trail him, but another car was already angling for my spot.
I pulled out then passed Alan?s Lexus. He pulled out behind me.
I sped up and turned right at the next corner. I made a quick U-turn. His Lexus and my car intersected at the corner. I ducked my head so he wouldn?t see my face and waited a moment for his car to pass.
Instead he honked for me to cross through the intersection. I didn?t want to peek up but what was I supposed to do? He honked again. I stayed tucked out of view. He didn?t know my car but he would recognize my face.
I recalled the look he gave me at Helene?s funeral. He didn?t want me around then and certainly he wouldn?t want me following him now.
My phone rang from the depths of the diaper bag.
That was probably Jim.
I pulled the bag close and rummaged around inside.
Another car honked from behind me. It seemed that enough time had passed that Alan would be gone by now. I peeked up over the dashboard. No Lexus.
The car behind me honked again and my phone continued to ring.
I dropped the bag, ignoring the phone, and turned right. I spotted Alan?s taillights a block and a half ahead of me.
Oh good.
My phone continued to ring, and just as I reached for the bag again, it stopped.
The Lexus was only slightly ahead of me now so I slowed down. I followed the turns Alan made and ended up right at his and Margaret?s home.
Dissatisfied, I turned the car around to go home. At least he hadn?t spotted me; that was one good thing. I could try again tomorrow.
I found my phone. The voice mail icon was showing. I listened to the message?it was Evelyn returning my call.
Okay. When one door closes, another opens.
