“Really?”
“Yes, but only if you promise to come to Thanksgiving.”
“Wow, blackmail at its finest.” Elodie rolls her eyes and adjusts Remy on her hip. “Fine. I’ll be home for Thanksgiving.”
“Susan! Wheel of Fortune is about to start and I need a beer!” Elodie’s father’s voice booms through the background.
“I’ve got to go,” her mom says.
“Okay. See you tomorrow then?” Elodie asks.
“Uh huh.” And then her mom ends the call.
Elodie stares down at the phone, processing the end button before she finally lifts her eyes to mine. “I can’t believe you just did that.”
“I can’t believe you let them talk to you that way. I know damn well you’ve given me more sass for less.”
“Well, they’re my parents.”
“Doesn’t matter. You don’t deserve to be spoken to that way,” I say, pulling her into me by her hips.
Her reply comes out as a whisper. “Thank you for sticking up for me.”
I cup the side of her face. “Thank you for letting me.”And thank you for changing my life.
We stand there, our eyes bouncing back and forth before she presses up on her toes and kisses me softly. And in the back of my mind, I admit what I already know: she might have changed my life, but if Iask her to stay, I’d be just as bad as her parents for asking her to change what she’s always wanted for hers.
***
“Her parents really said that?” Fletcher asks as Rhonan shuffles the deck of cards.
“Yeah. I swear, I’ve never wanted to cuss out a grown man and woman before, but I came really fucking close.”
Elliot scoffs. “Trust me, it’s not as satisfying as you’d think.”
“Speaking from experience?” Rhonan asks as he begins dealing the cards. It’s Friday night, and since Fletcher’s team played last night, he came home for the rest of the weekend to be with Laney and see Elodie perform. Which is why we decided to sneak in a blackjack night.
“I may have left a few choice words on Tori’s voicemail.”
I shake my head. “Yeah, well, seeing as how these people are Elodie’s parents, I’m not sure I made the best impression even with the little restraint I exercised.”
Elliot takes a chip and slides it toward the center of the table, placing his bet. The rest of us follow suit. “Speaking of parents, I have those papers ready for your daughter’s egg donor to sign.”
“That’s awesome. Thanks, man.”
“No problem. Just let me know when you’re free to meet with Meghan, and I’ll have my paralegal set it up. Unless you want to call her yourself?”
“The sooner the better. Just give me a time and I’ll be there.”
I shake my head. “No, I’d rather all communication go through your office just in case. Just find a time that works for Meghan, and I’ll be there. The sooner I get legal custody, the better.”
Elliot nods. “Got it. You need another card?” He flicks his chin in the direction of Fletcher.
“Yeah, hit me.” Rhonan flips over a five, which brings Fletcher’s total to twenty. “Hell yeah.” Elliot chooses to stay with his hand totaling eighteen, and I only have twelve, so I ask for a hit and end up busting with twenty-two when Rhonan flips over a ten.
“Shit.”
“Never can be sure with twelve,” Rhonan says as he flips over his second card and reveals that his hand totals twenty-one.
