DJ smirked.
“You made peanut butter!” Gabby shrieked. “They’re my favorites.”
“That’s what you get when you don’t cuss around your mother,” I said pointedly, glancing at DJ. “Imagine if your brother’s language was better, we’d get to eat more chocolate chip.”
“I’m good with peanut butter,” he countered.
“Hmm,” I hummed, giving him a ‘mom’ look. “Anyway, I need to talk to you both. There’s been some developments with your dad that I think you both should know about.” I nodded toward the stools. “Probably best you take a seat for this one, it’s a lot.”
The color drained from Gabby’s face, whereas DJ heaved out a sigh, slid onto a stool, and demanded, “What’s he done now?”
I waited for Gabby to take the seat next to her brother, leaning my hip against the counter. “Sorry, but it’s not good news, kids. Your dad wants full custody of you both.”
Gabby flinched as if she’d been physically punched. “What?”
“He didn’t like me telling him that he couldn’t see you until he sorted Rachel out, so he instructed his lawyer to demand full custody and hired a private investigator to follow us and Donovan. There are pictures of us all that look compromising, even though in reality, they’re innocent. The problem is, he’s manipulated the truth and put us all in a bad light. I’m sure he’lltry to convince the judge that I’m a bad mother who lets her kids run wild.”
“Oh my God,” Gabby exclaimed. “Dad’s lost his mind.”
“I’m sorry, baby,” I murmured. My gaze drifted to DJ, who was in the process of reaching into his pocket for his cell. “What are you doing, Son?”
Deej stabbed at his phone and held it to his ear, waiting until he finally barked, “Dad!”
My heart sank.
“What the hell do you think you’re doin’? Me and Gabs aren’t coming to live with you.” DJ paused before pointing out, “Funny that, Dad, seeing as your girlfriend hates your daughter, yet for whatever reason, she’s still your girlfriend. And let’s face it, this fatherly concern isn’t because you give a shit about us; it’s because you always have to win, even if me and Gabby end up as collateral damage in your twisted games. And now you’ve sent some asshole to follow us all around? It’s weird.”
My head reared back at the venom in my boy’s tone.
Well damn.
“Don’t test me, Dad,” DJ spat. “I’ve got a lotta shit on you. You think I haven’t heard you on the phone to whatever sidepiece you’re seeing behind Rachel’s back when you think nobody’s around? You think I don’t know the kind of man you are? You think Gabby doesn’t know that her dad would rather keep the bitch in his bed happy than protect his own daughter against her nasty mouth? I promise you now, Dad, you won’t win this battle ‘cause I’ll make sure the judge gets to hear about all your dirty little secrets. Take my advice: drop it now or lose your kids for good.”
Evan must have refused because DJ’s eyes closed slowly, and his lips thinned angrily. “Right. I’m done. You’ve lost me, and you’ve lost Gabs. Congratulations, you’re gonna die old and alone, and I for one couldn’t give the first fuck. Have a nice life,asshole.” With that, DJ ended the call and dropped his cell on the counter.
I moved straight to my son, ready to comfort him.
“It’s okay, Mom,” DJ assured me, waving me off. “It’s been a long time coming. I’ve watched him treat you and us like crap over the years. You took it for our sakes; I know that, and I appreciate it, but he never showed you the same respect. Any chance to badmouth you, he took it. Any chance to paint you in a bad light, and he took that too. I’ve been over his shit for years, but I put up with it for you. Now he’s forced me to make a choice, so I’ve made it.”
“DJ,” I whispered, my eyes filling with tears.
“Don’t cry over him,” my son told me. “He’s not worth it.”
I walked around the counter and approached him. “I’m not crying over your dad. I’m crying because, despite him, I’ve somehow managed to raise a good boy to be a decent man. I’m emotional because I’m proud of you. I wish more than anything that it didn’t have to come to this, but I can’t control your dad’s actions, and I’m not making excuses for him anymore. Donovan convinced me that you’re both old enough and smart enough to know the truth and deal with it the best way you see fit. I see he was right?—”
Gabby’s cell rang, and every eye in the room swung to it because we all knew who was calling.
I jerked my chin toward the phone. “You don’t have to answer that, baby, or if you’d like some privacy, you can take it in your room. I don’t expect you to do what DJ just did. You both have different relationships with your father that are separate from me, and I...” My voice trailed off as Gabby squared her shoulders, reached for the phone, and answered the call.
“Daddy,” she breathed.
I heard Evan start ranting, although I couldn’t pick out the actual words, just the anger behind them.
“No, she replied. “I won’t. What you’re doing is wrong. You don’t really want us there. All we do is get in the way. You don’t even spend time with us.” Evan must have started complaining about DJ because her gaze slid to her brother, and she sighed. “I agree with him. I think you’ve gone too far this time. I’m just starting high school after moving here from Oregon. For the first time, I’ve got real friends, but instead of celebrating that, you’re threatening to take me away just because your ego’s taken a hit.” Evan’s reply made Gabby lift her chin defiantly because she told him, “I’m sorry you feel that way. DJ’s right: perhaps we all need a break for a while. It hurts to say this, Daddy, but your actions prove that our relationship means more to me than it does to you. Instead of backing down to make us happy, you’d rather prove a point and lose us, and I think that’s sad. Maybe it’s better that I block your number for now. Take care.” She pulled her phone away from her ear, even though I could still hear Evan shouting at dead air, and ended the call. Then she started fiddling with her phone, no doubt blocking his number.
My mouth gaped because that was so unlike Gabby. She loved her dad unconditionally, so seeing her drawing battle lines was a shocker.
“Are you okay?” I asked, reaching out to clasp her shoulder.
