Time to change the subject. “Let’s finish the snack and you boys can do your homework.”
“Mama, I will do my homework.” She lifted up her princess coloring book. “Today, I’m learning about woyo…woyo…”
“Royalty.” I finished for her.
This had become a little ritual for them. Whenever she could, she mimicked the two boys, even pretending she had homework. Both boys sat at the kitchen counter chatting as they got busy. Of course, after ten minutes, Jay would declare she was bored.
That was where the iPad came in. If it wasn’t for that little device, she would annoy the boys until they gave her attention.
It also allowed me to finish whatever cleaning I had to finish around the manor before giving them all some pool time outside.
As I made my way to the laundry room, I spotted Tiffany’s laundry basket. She was the only other permanent resident of Cassie Salinger’s sprawling manor, affectionately known as Forte Femme. I stayed at the manor too and kept it clean and cared for in exchange for rent.
I took a load of laundry and replaced it with Tiffany’s load. Then I removed the load from the dryer and placed the freshly washed load in. I placed the basket on top of the small counter we used for folding. My eyes snagged at the pile of forms and brochures I’d been reading earlier. I smiled at the idea of fulfilling a dream I’d packed away all those years ago. Even all these years later, I still hadn’t finished my college degree. At first, it was how Fred wanted things in his home.Children need their mother with them, not chasing some corporate ladder.
By the time Jaycee came along, Fred and I were separated. At least, in every way that mattered. The last time we had sex was the night Jaycee was conceived. After that, the distance between us grew as much as my rapidly expanding belly. For a long time staying felt easier than leaving. I could still hear his voice in my head, the way he threatened to drag us through hell with him if I tookhiskids away from him.
Instead, I waited and bided my time. When the inevitable happened, and he was arrested, I wasted no time. He was served divorce papers within a month of being incarcerated.
Still, with a baby and a toddler, running the bar which was accidentally in my name and keeping a hand on the manor, I didn’t think I had the time to go back to school.
But my kids were a little older, the bar was doing better, and I could afford to hire a manager a few times a week, giving me more time. Even if I only took one or two classes at a time, I could finish my degree. That was my first goal.
With half the laundry folded my gaze landed on the glossy brochures once more. I let out the longest sigh and dumpedthe little purple sundress back in the basket. I grabbed the top brochure and rested my forearms on the counter as I read through it.
The course was online, but they had a satellite campus less than thirty minutes away which offered night classes for one of the modules I would do first. The other offered an online schedule. The brochures made it sound easy. Of course, the brochures weren’t talking to a single mom of two with a bar to run and another job on the side.
Going back to school would be a big deal for me. A chance to finish what I’d started and see if I was still capable of doing what I wanted to do.
Before I could overthink it too much, I grabbed the forms which came with the brochure. But instead of filling them out, I hovered my phone camera over the QR code provided and filled out the forms online.
I had barely hit submit when my phone buzzed in my hand. I didn’t recognize the number but it wasn’t from out of state. It was probably Ryder calling from the Moore Studio offices to make sure everything was still on track.
With a smile, I hit the green icon. “Hello?”
“Good Day. Is this Margaret Ripper?”
I pushed down my annoyance even as my body coiled with tension “This is Margaret Bauman. Ripper was my married name.”
“Sorry Ms Bauman, according to my records you are the mother of Frederick Ripper’s two children.”
Even though I knew what the phone call was about, I still asked. “What is this all about?”
“Ms Bauman, this Ronald Smith from the California State Penitentiary. I’m calling to let you know that Frederick Ripper was released earlier today. He is a free man and will likely return to his family home.”
I took a deep breath, then another, and another. Panicking right now would do me no good. My kids were in the next room and the last thing I needed was for them to be worried about their father.
Fortunately, the man on the other side of the phone could not see my fists clenching. “Thank you for letting me know, Mr Smith.”
“Ms Bauman, there is something else you should know.” The man’s voice had an edge of hesitation to it.
Not that I could imagine anything else that was pertinent. “What’s that?”
“Fred has made no bones about how much he despises you for taking away his kids.” There was a brief pause before the man continued. “He also vowed to take revenge on anyone who contributed to him being in this position. Just be careful, please. I have no doubt I will be seeing Fred Ripper back inside soon enough. I just don’t want it to be at your expense.”
While he spoke my fist clenched around the tiny purple dress. It was Jay’s favorite one. This week. He couldn’t have her. Either of them. I would not allow his poison into their lives.
“I will keep that in mind. Thank you for letting me know.” My eyes snagged on those brochures once more and I shook my head. Again, the man was determined to stand between me and my dreams. Those brochures were meant to be a symbol of hope, now they represented something Fred could sabotage.
