I groaned and clenched my teeth.Keely had introduced my girls to Madonna when she was watching them one day, and Elana loved “Like a Virgin.”Those three words were thankfully—or not, depending on how I looked at it, since she sang them over and over again—the only words she knew from the song.
Right on cue, she started belting it out, which was only marginally better than the screaming.
“Thanks, Keely.”
“You’re welcome, darling.Now, the reason I’m calling is because I have a date on Saturday and nobody to watch the boys.Any chance we could trade?”
Since there was no way I could take Elana to my next appointment with Vance, a babysitting trade sounded perfect.Even if it meant my house might not be in one piece afterward.“Are you free next week on Wednesday for a few hours?”
“I can be.Text me the details and I’ll make sure I don’t schedule any clients.”Keely raised her voice a bit.“Beautiful singing, baby girl.”And I knew she meant it wholeheartedly.She was the most loving and affectionate person I knew.
At this stage, there was no point in continuing our conversation since I could barely hear her over the wailing.“I’ll see you tomorrow at the office.”
“See you then.Love you, honey.”
We hung up, and I spent the next hour coaxing my daughter into singing something else.Anything would work after listening to “Like a Virgin” for so long.But not even “Wheels on the Bus”was enough to distract her.
The last thing I was prepared for was Cockalorum knocking on my door with his walking accessory in tow.
Chapter three
“I’vebeenstandingherefor ten minutes.Didn’t you hear me?”
His pinched face and exasperated voice were familiar; his salmon-colored shirt and checkered pants, on the other hand, were not.All he needed was a golf club and I would think he’d taken up golfing.Something he’d always hated.
I counted to five, then stepped onto the porch.
His walking—and sadly talking—human accessory matched his look, wearing a bright pink pleated skirt that barely covered her ass and a white shirt at least two sizes too small.
Are they going to a costume party?
Turning to face Cockalorum, I raised a brow.“I didn’t know you were coming.”
If I had, I would have made plans to be anywhere but here.
“I want to take the kids to the golf course.They’re doing a fundraiser.And Tammy wants to spend time with them since she’ll soon be their stepmom.”
“Addy is still in school since it’s Wednesday, and Elana is due for a nap.”
The walking accessory curled herself into my husband’s side, her hand on his chest, bright pink nails catching the sun.I fought the urge to open my front door wider and let Winston out.Our twelve-year-old cat hated strangers to the point that he was a better guard dog than our labrador, Orange.I wasn’t a violent person, but this conversation was the last thing I wanted to be doing right now.
My husband looked down his nose at our daughter, who was clinging to my hand.“We’ll take Elana for now.She can sleep in the car on the way there.”
If he’d spent even a little time with his kids, he’d know she hated sleeping in the car.
“You haven’t seen the girls in almost three months.You can’t just show up out of the blue and take them somewhere.And they’ve only met Tammy once.She’s still a stranger to them.”
He puffed out his chest, and I was greeted with his hair poking out of his shirt since he’d left the top three buttons undone.And is that spray tan I spot?
“They’re my kids too.”
“That’s great that you remember, but why don’t you call and we’ll organize a time for you to take them.”
As much as I couldn’t stand to be near him, I would never prevent my daughters from spending time with their father.
“I have a right to see them.”
This was getting us nowhere.And I knew he’d dig his heels in because he always had to get his way.Time to change tactics.“Since you sent me the divorce papers, it’s probably best if we only speak through our lawyers.”
