Silence seemed to be our new favorite thing because the air grew thick again as it filled the space between us. I hated it, so I spoke again.
“Did you know Jo-Jo told Cece that the girls could share you and be their mom? I noticed that she has you stored under the same title in her phone this morning.” I asked as my eyes paid close attention to the shake of her ass as she whisked the pancake batter in the mixing bowl.
“No. Well…I knew about the whole ‘sharing me’ thing but not the name change in her phone. I’m sorry about that. It was during camp. A couple of the girls were trying to bully her about not having a mom. I overheard Jo-Jo sticking up for her and that’s how that got started. I assumed it was over and done since camp’s finished. Again, I apologize. I should’ve told you.”
“No need to apologize. I think it just caught me off guard when I saw it. She wants to ask if she can call you the title.” Olive’s body stilled as she tensed before turning to face me with her pretty browns now stretched widely and her brows high.
“Oh um… I’ll leave that up to you. I don’t care if she does, but you might since…well, ya know.” She stuck her neck out, adding emphasis to the statement. Honestly, I didn’t care either. Mostly because in my mind I had made plans for her to be just that to my girls. I took a bite out of my steak as I shrugged.
“I don’t either. If she asks you, then I guess that will settle it.” Olive nodded as she put her attention back on the griddle she had on the counter, as she now poured batter onto it.
“I’m sure once that happens Jo-Jo will follow suit, just giving you a heads up. He told me a while back that having you around is like having two dads. I didn’t correct him at the time because?—”
I cut her off because I understood.
“Yeah. Or we can shut shit down, your call. And let this shit play out for the summer then go back to our separate lives completely once school starts back up.”
Olive turned to face me with a hand on her hip, clearly irritated now.
“Why is everything my decision?”
“Because none of this would matter if you would just quit your job.” I shrugged as I took another bite of my food. I heard her humorless snicker before she released a low breath.
“My decision to quit my job. My decision to let the kids call us Mom and Dad. My decision if the kids need to continue being friends. Tell me, Highland, what happened to all those plans and commands you said you had when it came to us?”
“You fucked them up when you didn’t choose me.”
“You didn’t even give me a chance to think things through, Highland. Baby, I promise I only want you. But you have to give me time to figure this out. I don’t see you giving me any suggestions on the subject other than quit.”
“Because Olive, I don’t care if you don’t want to do anything beyond caring for our home and kids. I’m just saying not you laid up on a bed, floor, or couch wrapped up with another man. Why can’t you see how fucked up this shit got me? That day in your office you smelled like him, did you know that? You hugged me and all I could smell was another man’s scent that wasn’t mine on you.” Olive winced while I scoffed.
“And if we don’t work and I just quit, then what, Highland? What will I do?”
“That’s where you keep messing up. You’re supposed to be believing in what we’re growing, Liv. Not already second guessing if we would make it. All I want you to do is believe that I would never just have you out here without a safety net.”
“I’m sorry.”
Olive’s lips trembled as she went to step forward, but I backed up, closing my container. My appetite was gone.
“Me too. I’ll send the kids in for breakfast.”
That was all I had for her as I left the kitchen, leaving all the food there.
“Whew!Hell yeah. That’s how you hit that shit, Jo-Jo!” I yelled to him as he swung the baseball bat, hitting the ball. It didn’t go far but I was proud of him for hitting it.
We had been at the batting cages with Tunk and Kelvin since we left his mother’s house this morning. I was on a mission to find his passion amongst the different sports so we could get him involved once school started. We had one more test, but the way his face lit up as soon as we got here told me this might be the one.
“Mr. Lando, can I go again?” he asked as he jumped over to me, tone full of excitement.
“You ain’t gotta ask him, nephew. Gone on ahead,” Tunk told him, walking him back over to the base and getting him in position.
“I see you’ve taken a liking to her son and Cece tells me that they can’t get enough of their Ms. Liv. I take it things between you two are going well. When can we have an official meeting?”
Kelvin’s words took me by surprise since I assumed Tunk told him when Olive and I had ended the day he’d picked the girls up from camp.
“Meeting? You met Olive before I really did, Pops. What are you talking about?” I chuckled, ignoring the other key points of his statement.
“True, but not as your lady. That’s a different meeting. I think you’ve had her to yourself long enough. Let’s do dinner tonight at Diablo’s.”
