Well, now he was putting it on a bit thick.When I talked to them yesterday, they couldn’t wait to get home.Apparently, shopping almost every day does get old eventually.
“We talked about your current living situation, and the girls expressed their displeasure at having to share a room.And I agree.”
Where was this going?Because with Cockalorum, it was always going somewhere.“As you know, I don’t earn enough to keep the house.And this is all that I could afford.”
“Then you’ll be relieved to hear that I want to change the custody agreement.”
I jolted as if I’d touched an electric fence, all my hair standing on end.“What do you mean?”
“Tammy likes being a mother.So we’ll give it a go.”
“You’ll give what a go?”
“Having the kids, of course.”He looked at me as if I was the daft one in this conversation.“You can have them on the weekends.But not all of them since we stay at the house in Steamboat Springs every other weekend.”
Since when did he have a house in Steamboat Springs?What was happening right now?
I shook my hands and rolled my shoulders as if I was getting ready for a boxing match.Which I might be if he didn’t stop talking.“No.Absolutely not.I have full custody and no intention of changing that.”
“You only have full custody because I agreed to it.You know as well as I do that you don’t have any say in this situation.”
“You can’t do this.What if you decide that you don’t want them in a few weeks?Or months?What then?”
“Then you can have them back.”He glanced at his Patek Phillipe watch.“I’m late for brunch at the golf course.”
And he left without saying goodbye to his kids or me.
I stood in the doorway, staring at the now-empty hallway, struggling to take a breath.
“I’m hungry.”
I looked down at Elana, my hand automatically brushing over her head.There was no way I could separate the girls.But I also couldn’t keep Elana and give up Addy.I was caught in the middle, and I had no idea what to do.The smart thing would be to call Vance.But I couldn’t bring myself to do it just yet.
He was coming over tonight.I would talk to him then.
Addy let out a frustrated shriek.“Where are my pink pants with the elephants?”
I closed the door and took Elana’s hand.“Let’s go see if we can help your sister before she pulls all her clothes out of the closet.”
My eldest was already halfway through her closet by the time we arrived.Since the room was so small, the floor was covered in clothes.Before she grabbed anything else, I quickly pulled out the pants she was looking for.
She ripped off her sparkly dress that I’d just noticed for the first time and pulled on her pants, then a black T-shirt with a sunflower on the front.
“Did your dad buy you a new dress?”’
Addy glanced at me, then looked down, twisting her hands in her top.“Tammy bought us dresses.And they’re all itchy.But she took away our other clothes, so we had to wear them.”
I ground my teeth together.“Did you tell her you didn’t like the dresses?”
She shook her head, not a hair on her head moving due to her tight braid.She usually liked it in a ponytail and couldn’t sit still enough for a braid.
I undid her hair, clenching my teeth to stop myself from saying something I’d regret later.Elana followed her sister’s example and attempted to get out of her dress.But it was too tight and she ended up stuck inside, her arms up, her head buried under tulle.“Help.Help.Help.Help.”
I reached over and pulled the dress back down.“Hang on, pumpkin pants.”
After undoing the zipper, it fell to the floor.Addy seized the opportunity to race around the room in her undies.Once I’d convinced her to put clothes on, we went to the park.
I was still struggling to come to terms with Cockalorum changing his mind and wanting full custody.But I would speak to Vance tonight when he came over.If there was anyone who could help me keep my girls, it would be him.
