Chapter Twelve
Arlo
I hurry home, feeling only a little aggravated about our borked plans because I’m more concerned about getting there to take care of Zoey and Katie.
I’m still not sure what’s going on, or why the sudden change in schedule. Sure, there have been a few times in the past where Jerilyn had a last-minute schedule change. Hell, half the time she’s texting Nolan to pick Katie up from school without warning, but the changes are never this long or ambiguous in duration. Especially for work.
I can’t help but wonder if it’s really for work, or if she’s jetted off on some last-minute vacation with a boyfriend.
Yeah, I’m jaded and cynical when it comes to that woman.
Not that it matterswhatthe reason is. Katie’sourdaughter.
The only thing that disappoints me in a minor way is that this changes something I’d planned to do tonight. On my way to work, I made a quick stop I didn’t tell Zoey or Nolan about.
I mean, I can still do what I wanted to do, but I need to work it in a little differently than I’d planned.
I arrive home only to be tackled by the munchkin when I walk through the front door. I immediately spot Zoey on the sofa, with a damp washcloth on her forehead.
Yikes.
I untangle myself from Katie after giving her a hello hug and walk over to Zoey, where I lean in for a kiss. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
“Can I get you anything? Do anything for you?”
She lifts one end of the wash cloth so she can peek at me with one eye. “Take over. Please?”
“You’ve got it.” I turn to Katie. “Let me go change clothes and I’ll help you with your schoolwork.”
“Are we doing Chinese for dinner?”
“Absolutely. Too soon to order it yet, though. We’ll wait until Daddy tells us he’s closer. You can even go with me to pick it up.”
“Yay!”
I retreat to our bedroom, where the first thing I do is tuck the surprise, which I’d had in my pocket, into my top dresser drawer. Then I change into shorts and a T-shirt. I sit on the floor next to Katie at the coffee table and we work through her assignment. It’s not difficult, even for her. Then I read with her. Once Nolan lets me know he’s less than thirty minutes from home, I put in our dinner order, and Katie and I head out to get it.
She chatters at me nonstop from the backseat, leaving me smiling and contented. I miss the days when Lucas was this age. Maybe this weekend the weather will be good and we can go out fishing. We were going to last weekend, but thunderstorms spoiled our plans, and we ended up bowling. Still fun, and a family activity, but not what we’d had our hearts set on doing together.
By the time we return, Nolan’s home and has already changed clothes. Katie runs to him and he scoops her into his arms for a hug.
My guy’s a fantastic dad. I remember when Katie was born, how he held her, crying as he showed her to us.
Jerilyn had been knocked out, because for some reason that’s still not clear to me, she demanded a C-section months before the actual birth. She’d had it in her mind she was not going through labor and delivery.
Zoey and I had been there for Nolan. I remember standing there with him, our arms around him as he held the swaddled bundle and wept tears of joy. How I kissed his forehead and lingered there, missing him, struggling against my own tears because it wasn’t fair he was married to that bitch and not with us.
Maybe I’m selfish in some ways, I don’t know.
Now he’s ours, and no one’s taking him away from us.
If I had my way, I’d figure out a way to challenge Jerilyn for full custody and then life would be perfect.
Yes, I admit that does make me petty and selfish, because Katie loves her mother.
Although now knowing what I do about narcissists, I’m pretty sure Katie’s feelings aren’t reciprocated.
