“Why? Because you’re gonna make a go with your baby daddy and we’ll all be friends? It can be like a redo of one of those rom-coms you love so much.”
“Listen, you’re one of my oldest friends, but I don’t deserve this. I’m not sure when you became so jaded, but you need to snap out of it. I really appreciate you sending Mike to help me the other night, but you need to go focus on you right now. Not me.”
“Don’t be that way.”
“Look, let’s talk next week.”
Another horn blared, and she said, “I gotta go.”
“’Bye, Mill. Be careful.”
Blowing out a long breath, I poured a second cup of joe and thought about what Milly said. I think somewhere deep inside, I knew it would never work out with Aston. Maybe that was why I let him go so easily? Let him off the hook when it came to Piper?
Mike was a good guy. A great one. He didn’t deserve what was happening to him. No one did. In a way, I understood how Seth must have felt. I wasn’t physically cheating on him, but my heart betrayed him.
Life was certainly messy, and I had no idea how to fix it.
Part of me wished I could go back a year or two in time. It would be so great to wake up, unaware of the problems Aston was having, no intuitions or sneaky suspicions about my ex, only my simple life I’d crafted around me.
To make my life even messier, Aston didn’t want to give me the space he’d promised. He texted and begged, but I forced the issue.
I worked more, picking up an extra day a week. I busied myself with grocery shopping, lunch packing, and cooking new and exciting dinners.
When I could, I sent Piper to have dinner with Aston, Mara, and Little A. Aston didn’t like me sending her by herself, but he took what I gave him. When it came to Piper, he was desperate to make up for lost time, maybe even more so than with me.
He was always gracious—even genuine—and invited Tyler. At first, Tyler was in his own way, usually wanting alone time with Seth. I didn’t realize it at that point, but it was the beginning of an end for Tyler and his dad. Now they seemed to chat a little on the phone, go to dinner once in a while, but Tyler started spending fewer whole weekends at Seth’s and wanting less and less contact with him.
When I wasn’t working or cooking, I was either cleaning or organizing closets or going to Piper’s soccer games. Aston was always there, but between my warning looks and not wanting to upset Piper, he kept his distance, cheering for her and her team.
“Mom, you need to be nice to my dad,” Piper said one night while helping me make a Greek salad.
“Which one?”
“Don’t be stupid. Seriously, Mom,” she said while raising an eyebrow at me. “I’ll always be close with Seth, but he’s not my dad-dad, and you know it. Seth and I talked, and we want to be tight, but he knows I need to get to know Aston. Plus, he’s dating someone seriously, and she has a son and he needs to get to know him.Quid pro quo, or whatever he called it.”
“Wait. That’s a lot of information to unpack. He said that? Back up.” Setting down my knife, I grabbed a glass of wine, figuring it was needed, and told Piper to sit on the stool next to me. “Okay, slow down and tell me when all this happened ... who said what, and all that.”
“You’ve been busy. I get it. You needed time to yourself, or whatever. That’s what Dad said. By Dad, I mean Aston. I’m calling him Dad now. We’re close. Texting all the time.”
“Wait,” I said, pulling my hair off my neck where I was starting to sweat. “Texting? How?”
“Uh, he got me a phone.” Her cheeks reddened. “He told me to keep it secret and to only use it to text him, and I listened. Honestly, I’m not doing any apps. But I want to be able to talk with my dad. And you’re always listening or rushing around lately.”
“He can’t buy you, Piper.”
“Mom! Don’t you know me? Jeez—”
I pulled her in for a hug. “I’m sorry, baby. You’re right. I’m being unfair. So, where were we? Aston got you a phone, and you text and you call him Dad. You could have told me. And when did you talk with Seth?”
I rambled, mentally berating myself for being so preoccupied and self-centered these last few weeks.
“Mom, look how you’re freaking out. That’s why I didn’t say a word about Dad ... I mean, Aston.”
I rolled my eyes. “Seriously, I’m not freaking out.”
“You are. Anyway, when I went to dinner with Seth and Tyler, Tyler didn’t want to go alone because Cherry—that’s his girlfriend—was bringing her son. His name is Chad, and he’s super cute. He really likes Seth. His dad died. Isn’t that horrible?”
“Yes, just awful. I wouldn’t wish that for anyone,” I said.
