He rolled his eyes, shook his head, and gave up. “Do you want me to make some bacon?”
An hour later, when we’d stuffed ourselves and cleaned up the mess, I sat at the kitchen table, scrolling through The Downward Dog finances spreadsheet. Anna and Brooklyn were outside practicing their serves.
My phone chimed, and I picked it up.
Jenny: I ran into your momma at Food Lion this morning and she said you're letting Anna sleep with that dog? Lemon, honey, that is a terrible idea. You're going to have fleas crawling all over my granddaughter. I'm sorry she's having night terrors again, but this is not the answer.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, my stomach cinching as I thought about how to respond. Jenny did this every few days. Found some reason to “check in” on my “parenting.” I reminded myself not to be offended. Jenny was a controller. And when she couldn’t keep a thumb on a situation, it made her a little crazy. But I hadn’t heard about Silas getting these kinds of texts.
“What’s this?” Silas took the phone from my hands. His eyes flicked to me, and his jaw clenched. I hadn’t realized he was reading over my shoulder. He skimmed the text—his gray eyes turning stony—and pursed his lips, perturbed. Then he started punching a message back. I reached for the phone. He turned his back so I couldn’t reach it, his broad shoulders a wall between me and the possibility of saving my relationship with his mother.
“Don’t,” I said, a knot in my throat at having my arm twisted around his rock-hard torso, as I grasped for the phone. “I can handle this. Give it back.”
He spun around, inches away, grinning as he hit send.
I yanked my phone out of his hand. “Not. Cool.”
I read the text he’d sent:
Me: We’ve got it handled. Thanks.
I shook my head, not amused, and added:Sorry. Silas commandeered my phone. Buford’s been treated for fleas and we thought he might help with?—
Silas ripped the phone out of my hand before I could finish and held it high above his head. “If you cater to her demands, she will only demand more. You have to politely tell her where she can stick it.”
He wasn’t wrong, but I didn’t appreciate him pretending to be me. I folded my arms across my chest and blew out my lips. “That wasn’t polite. If you want to handle it like that, do it from your phone. Now she’s going to think I’m rude. You’re gonna tell her that was you.” I raised my eyebrows, not asking.
He saluted, his lips curling as he tried not to laugh. “Yes, ma’am.” Then he pulled his phone out and texted his mom.
I sat back at the computer and returned my focus to the spreadsheet.
Fully dressed now in jeans and a plaid button-down, he sat next to me, pulling his shoes on. “Whatcha doing?”
I scratched my forehead, wondering how much to tell him. “Just trying to figure out how I’m paying for everything without Billy’s income.”
He jammed his right foot into a boot. “You know you’re entitled to half of anything he acquired during your marriage, right? He has to pay you alimony, too.” Holden had probably told him that. Or maybe he’d read it on the internet. Silas was a researcher, I was learning.
I shook my head. “I don’t want anything from him.”
“But it’s yours by law.”
“All I want is the house and my truck. He can have everything else.”
He yanked his other boot up. “You have to think further ahead than that. And what about bills? Doesn’t he have student loan debt?”
“No. His grandparents paid for school.”
His eyes widened, impressed. “Well, that’s good. But what about insurance? I’m assuming you get it through his job.”
Did he think I was naïve? “I know all of that. I’ve beenworried about it for weeks. I’m going to have to figure out another way.”
“Hey.” He put his hand on my knee, causing a surge of adrenaline. “Please take this the way I mean it, okay?” He tilted his head and spoke slowly and intentionally. “Don’t let your pride right now screw you over in the long run. Think about your future. Raising a kid is expensive, even when you’re living in Denialstead.”
I put my hand over his and took a deep breath as I turned to him. “I promise that’s exactly what I’m doing. The thing with Billy is, if you let his toenail in the door, he will worm his entire body inside. If I ask for alimony, he will throw that money in my face the entire time he’s paying it. If I want him out of my life, I have to cut ties completely.”
I let go of Si’s hand and faced forward, intending for the conversation to be over.
He turned to face me now. “I hate to tell you this, since you’re living in Denialborough and all?—”
