As they came down the stairs there was a light tap on the front door. Preston scurried the rest of the way down.
“Let me get it,” Rae said, hurrying after him.
She opened the door to find Dylan standing there with Jayden. Her heart gave a happy lurch, but she forced her expression to remain calm. His usual happy personality was subdued, and she wondered if his heart ached as much as hers did.
“You’re back,” Preston cried to Jayden. “How come I couldn’t go with you?”
Before the little boy could do more than shrug, Beth had launched herself at Dylan.
“Daddy!” She wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled her face into his shoulder.
Dylan pulled her close and shut his eyes. When he opened them, they were moist. It made Rae’s eyes sting. He’d missed her children as much as she had Jayden.
“Hey, little princess.” Dylan cleared his throat.
“Did you have fun with your grandpa?” Rae asked, smoothing back a strand of Jayden’s hair.
He nodded and clutched at her hand. “I wanted you all to come too.”
Dylan cleared his throat. “We’re going to the park and wondered if Beth and Preston would like to come.”
Rae didn’t miss that she wasn’t invited, and a painful knot formed in her chest.
“Is Mama coming?” Preston asked, looking at Rae.
“Mamahasto come.” Jayden gave her a pull toward the door.
Rae had a hard time swallowing against the lump in her throat. “Not this time. You all go have fun with Dillie.”
Preston looked about to argue, but Dylan said, “Let’s go everyone. Jayden has a birthday present for you.” They turned and went down the stairs.
She hurried to the balcony where she could see them. Dylan had put Beth on his shoulders, and each Little had a finger through a belt loop. Rae watched them make their way through the courtyard and out toward the playground. She hadn’t felt so alone since that awful birthday last year which had fallen on the two-month anniversary of Mike’s death.
This was her new future. Rae went back inside and sank to the couch. Alone, exactly as she’d promised.
16
“Well, I know, Jasmine. Shedoesgive good advice—sometimes,” Amelia was saying as Rae entered her office. “But that woman is not the be-all and end-all on all decisions a woman should make about her life. I tell you, your friend needs to consider the quality of this man before making a decision.”
Rae put her purse in the desk drawer and turned on her computer, wondering what trouble Jasmine’s friend was having now. The office staff had been hearing about the woman’s trials and tribulations since she’d left her husband more than a year ago.
“I know, but she really loves this new guy. She wants to marry him and have another kid,” Jasmine said. “If she waits until her daughter is grown, she’ll be too old for more. What’s she to do?”
“I’d say she has to remember she’sblendinga family and not creating a first family and a second one. It’s easier when the children are young, but even teenagers can blend into a happy family. I hear all the time about men who think they’re playing second fiddle after their first kid is born. Even in intact families, the children should be a top priority forbothparents. That doesn’t change when the parents decide they don’t want to be married to each other anymore.”
Rae went to stand by the door to hear better.
“Micah’s mother left his father because the man was cheating on her. She’d always liked her mother-in-law and worried how she’d take the news. Know what she said?”
Jasmine shook her head.
“Her mother-in-law saidshewasn’t divorcing anyone. As long as she was stillgrandma, she was fine with it. And she was a woman who kept her word. When Micah’s mother remarried, her new husband brought a couple of kids with him. They then had two more between them, a realYours, Mine, and Oursblended family. That ‘ex’ mother-in-law treated every one of those six kids the same way. It helped to reinforce the new family philosophy—there wasn’t any such thing as ‘step’ or ‘half.’ The kids were brothers and sisters.Period. Their philosophy was every member of the family was important, and they looked after each other. It worked for them because they made it work.” Amelia’s voice turned firm. “I say if your friend is sure this man is a good man and will treat her daughter with the love and respect every child of God deserves, then she should go for it.”
“But Dr. Aurora says you can’t be sure. How can my friend know?” Jasmine asked.
Fighting an unexpected sense of unease, Rae stepped closer.
“I’d say pray about it, but your friend might not be a believer. So she and this man need to communicate. If you can’t trust a man, you sure shouldn’t be welcoming him into your bed and certainly not into your family. Making a family is a lot of dang work, believe me.” Amelia sighed. “Especially when they’re teenagers. She shouldn’t be looking for someone who will makeherhappy, but who’ll make her daughter happy too. And she needs to ask herself ifshecan do that forhischildren. She can have both—the love of her lifeanda good father for her kids. All she has to do is choose the right man.”
