“Would you consider going with her?”
Sutton stops short. She sinks into the sand, almost a full head shorter than me. “What, just us going to the zoo together?”
“All of us. I want you to get to know her.”
“Why?”
“If she’s going to be around, I want you to meet her. Maybe it’ll make things easier?”
“Is she going to be around?” she asks.
“I have something I need to tell you.”
“Is everything okay?” I don’t miss the note of panic in her voice. The way she shoves her sunglasses up into her hair to look directly at me.
“Yeah. It is. I’ve just been trying to find the best way to tell you this. Because it’s even hard for me to wrap my head around.”
“What is it?”
“We have a court date with Missy.”
“And?”
“They’re filing for her to have joint custody of Troy.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. That’s basically where I’m at too.”
It’s taken a few days to wrap my head around it. When my lawyer called to discuss what Missy wanted, it wasn’t as hard as when she first showed up on Christmas.
Seeing that it’s been five months and Missy has done a lot for Troy, it’s an easier pill to swallow.
Sutton grabs my hand and walks me down to the surf, letting the water wash over our feet. “And you’re okay with this?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? Troy gets to have his mom in his life.”
“Then I’m happy for you.”
Except…she doesn’t sound happy. Sutton is always so open with me. It’s one of the many things I love about her. That big heart of hers is so loving and caring, and it still boggles my mind that she chose me.
“Are you okay?” I whisper into her hair, my lips on the crown of her head. It’s blowing all around with the ocean breeze.
“I’m fine, why?”
Fine. The dreaded word no one ever wants to hear.
“Look, I know I’ve had a lot going on lately with Missy and Troy. But I promise, things will go back to normal soon.”
Sutton wraps her arms around me and rests her head on my chest. “I’m going to ask you something and I want you to be honest with me.”
“Okay.”
How can the air be so thick around us on such a beautiful day?
“Am I getting in the way?”
I reel back from her in shock. “In the way? How are you in the way?”
