“It’s nothing.”
“It’s more than nothing. As I said, this is amazing, Seth. I got so buried in research and paperwork, trying to figure out everything I needed to do about Braeden while doing my job. Fucking hell. Who knew having a kid would be so much work? And you havethreeof them.”
“To be fair, Malcolm and I were prepared for the kids. Braeden kind of fell on you.” I peek into his living room and don’t see the boy. “Speaking of, where is he?”
Calvin waves a hand toward the ceiling. “He’s in the guest room and has barely come out. I keep trying to talk to him and get him to open up, while he barely acknowledges me. But any mention of me going out, even to the grocery store, and he’s in full-blown panic and clinging to me. I did manage to feed him some lunch. I was so hyper-focused on him eating that I forgot to feed myself.”
Seeing a flustered Calvin makes me just a wee bit happy. It humbles him.
“I’ve carefully built my life to protect myself on all fronts. I know it’s not the healthiest, but it’s worked for me. Who knew how my house of cards was so precarious?”
“They always are… houses of cards, that is.”
He runs a hand through his already wrecked honey-wheat hair. “Shit, sorry. Can I get you a drink or something? I’ve got bourbon, wine, whiskey, vodka, and more bourbon. There’s also milk and water.”
I chuckle and sit on a stool at the kitchen island. “I’m fine. Besides, I need to get the kids from my parents shortly.”
“Yeah, I guess I have to tone down the drinking myself. God, I’m going to miss sex.”
I laugh harder this time. “Well, that’s a good start, but you don’t have to be a monk either. Any luck finding a therapist?”
The oven dings, telling us that it’s preheated, and Calvin shoves the casserole into it. Then he sits next to me and rubs his face. “Yeah, I’ve got one lined up. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a decent therapist who takes insurance? I found one that I have to pay out of pocket, but she doesn’t have an opening for another month, which is a hell of a lot sooner than six months, like some others. It’s killing me, man. Why the hell is it so hard to find someone?”
“At least he’ll be getting some help soon.”
“What am I to do in the meantime? He doesn’t tell me what he likes, he has zero interest in fixing up his room… I mean, he brought crap with him, which is still sitting in boxes. I’m fucking clueless in breaking through to him. You managed to get him to talk with no effort whatsoever. God, I suck at this.”
“To be fair, he isn’t forced to live with me. He’s still trying to figure out if he can trust you, and remember, Cal, he’s in a lot of pain.”
“I know…” he growls. “I know he’s hurting. Hell, I miss them, too.”
“I’m sure Braeden will come around. Give him time. But don’t give up on him. Keep trying to break through his walls. He will eventually open up more. You have to be patient.”
“Yeah… I get that. At least I have a court date next week. It’s a preliminary hearing, but it’s a start.”
“Excellent. They won’t waste time getting Braeden settled in. The sooner, the better.”
Calvin’s phone starts ringing. He snags it from where it’s sitting on the counter of the kitchen island, looks at the screen, and scowls. Usually, he’s nonchalant, snarking, and wears a perpetual smirk, so this look is new and off-putting.
“Fucking hell. She doesn’t know when to quit.”
“Who?”
Yeah, I’m nosy as heck.
“My mother.”
Mother? He can go to her for help, right? However, his reaction to her calling says otherwise. “I take it you two aren’t close?”
He scoffs and shoves aside his phone, not answering it. “She would say we are. I’m all she has. Well, we have family she doesn’t talk to at all. Most likely, they’ve cut her off. And somehow she manages to guilt me into talking to her and being there when she needs me. I love her, butevery time we talk, I feel diminished and…” His smile is brief. “Sorry, that was TMI. You don’t need to know my life story with my mother.”
Great, I’m even more curious, but now I can’t ask.
“I bet your parents aresuperfantastic,” he huffs like a petulant child with folded arms and everything.
I can’t help but chuckle again. “Yeah, they’re pretty great. I’m not sure what I’d do without them, honestly.” Maybe if I open up a bit about my life, Calvin will, too. “When Malcolm and I separated, it was hard to be strong for the kids. They needed me more than ever, but at least I had my parents and friends to fall back on.”
“Deadbeat dad, huh?”
