“We’d like the kids to come to the wedding.”
“All right.” I suppose I can’t argue with that. “Just let me know the date.”
“May 28th. We’re having the reception at Casa Loma.”
“Wow.” Casa Loma’s an actual castle in downtown Toronto, and a really popular wedding venue. “I thought you had to book Casa Loma, like, two years in advance.”
“We got a cancellation,” Troy says quickly, but there’s a telltale blush spreading over his cheeks.
“You’ve been planning this a while, haven’t you?”
“Only since May,” he says, a little defensively.
“Sure,” I nod. “Do the kids know?”
“We told them yesterday. They seemed okay with it. Claire’s going to be a bridesmaid, and Liam will be the ringbearer.”
I nod again. It’s not like it’ll change much for them. From everything I’ve seen, Olivia’s basically living with Troy already.
“And, uh, you would be welcome to come to the wedding, too. Only if you want to, of course. But I thought it would be good for the kids, you know, to see that you’re okay with it.”
I stare at the floor and choke down a mad urge tolaugh. At this time last year, I couldn’t have imagined attending Troy and Olivia’s wedding. I might even have said I’d prefer to stab my eyes out with a fork. But now . . . well, the betrayal doesn’t sting anymore.
If anything, Troy did me a favor.
And since we share Claire and Liam, Troy and I will be part of each other’s lives for a long time. Things will be easier if we can be civil.
I look up to find Troy looking at me expectantly, waiting for my answer.
“Thanks, Troy. I’ll think about it.”
THIRTY
LUKE
After I get home from Melissa’s, I log in to the hospital medical record to prepare for tomorrow’s surgeries. I like to review CT scans and ultrasounds the night before, so I can look for any anatomical quirks that might give me trouble.
But today, I scroll through the images without seeing them. My brain is still at Melissa’s, wondering what Troy wanted to talk to her about. What if he realized he was an idiot to let her go, and begs her to give him another chance? Would she consider it? Part of me says no way—she’s too smart to fall for that—but another part says she might, for the sake of her kids.
I should have insisted on staying, so she wouldn’t have to confront him alone.
On the other hand, if I’d stayed, I’d have been tempted to tell Troy my opinion of him, and that wouldn’t have made Melissa’s life any easier. After all, she has to co-parent with him.
At around seven o’clock, I figure Troy’s probably been and gone, so I send her a text.
Me: How did it go?
She doesn’t reply immediately, but I tell myself she’s probably busy with the kids. It doesn’t mean Troy’s still there.
I microwave a frozen dinner and eat it in front of the TV. The chicken is rubbery and the potatoes gelatinous, and I miss Melissa’s cooking.
And finally, after I’ve watched an episode of a badSurvivorspinoff, I get a reply.
Melissa: Good. Troy and Olivia are getting married next May.
Me: Congratulations to them.
I hit the button to call her, because I need to hear her voice. Texts won’t tell me how she really feels about the news that her ex is getting married.
