“Better late than never,” she said, deciding on the spot not to thank him for something he had been obligated to pay her for quite some time now. She already knew that he thought she was a pushover. No need to prove it by thanking him.
“Lily told me that you have a boyfriend.” Donny uttered the words as a statement and not a question.
Boyfriend?Sophia found it hard to believe her four-year-old had used that word. She had the feeling Donny was putting words in her daughter’s mouth to go on a fishing expedition. Anger rose up inside her. Was he gathering information for his custody case?
“Yes, I’m seeing someone,” she responded. “That shouldn’t be a problem.” Donny should understand, since he’d always had a partner in his life, going from one relationship to the next. She did feel better now that he was married to Zora, so Lily wouldn’t have to be subjected to a parade of girlfriends.
“So he’s watched her for you?” He made a face. “Lily told me something about a day when you were away for work.”
“Yes, that’s true. He watched her when my family couldn’t step in and I had a work commitment.”
“You could have asked me. I’m her father.”
She counted to ten. “Every time I’ve asked you, there’s been an issue with your job. Am I wrong?”
Tension crackled in the air.
“You just don’t want to give me a chance, do you?” he asked, frowning.
She threw her hands in the air. “Where is this going, Donny?” She wished that he would just get to the point. He seemed upset and was clearly probing into her private life.
“You can’t just replace me in our daughter’s life.” He spat the words out angrily. His mouth settled in a hard line.
“What are you talking about?” Sophia sputtered. “I’m not trying to replace you.”
He looked as if he might explode. “I’m still her father, and I haven’t forgotten about joint custody. My lawyer’s going to serve you with the paperwork to make things official.” His body was trembling. His eyes glistened with anger.
“Whatever, Donny. Bring it on. You have a lot to answer to if and when you take this to court. Giving me a fat check doesn’t change that.”
“You’re not the only one who has rights,” Donny muttered right before turning around and heading out of the kitchen. Moments later she heard the front door close behind him.
She let out a sound of frustration that caused Lily to come running from the playroom. Her daughter looked up at her with innocence brimming from her eyes.
“What happened?” Lily asked.
“Nothing, baby, I stubbed my toe,” she fibbed. There was no way she could justify telling a four-year-old that she was frustrated with her father. She had vowed a long time ago not to badmouth Donny to their daughter.
“Oh, no! You got a boo-boo,” Lily said, raising her hands to her cheeks. She began blowing kisses at Sophia.
“I’m okay, sweetie,” Sophia said, pulling Lily against herand holding her tight. She needed this embrace right now. Being around Donny’s negativity was exhausting, but getting a hug from Lily fed her soul.
Lily patted her back. “Okay, Mama,” she said before racing back to her playroom.
“Thanks, sweetie,” she called after her. She pressed her hand against her chest and began to take shallow breaths.
At moments like this, Sophia felt as if she were still grieving the loss of Donny. She wasn’t in love with him anymore, but it hurt to have lost someone who had been so important to her. Having a child with someone established a lifelong bond. In a perfect world she and Donny could be friends post breakup and not adversaries. She shouldn’t have to question his motives in seeking more time with Lily.
Donny used to be her friend, lover, and partner in crime and silliness. She hadn’t even seen him change, nor had she been prepared for the transformation. It had happened in the twinkle of an eye, before she’d even realized it was occurring. She barely recognized him anymore.
And, as she continued to grow closer to Caleb, the reality scared the life out of her.
Love was a frightening proposition. It was the most unpredictable force on the planet.
People didn’t always stay the same. They changed. And sometimes it wasn’t for the better. What if the rug was pulled out from underneath her again when she least expected it? What if Caleb decided not to stick around Moose Falls once Hattie was no longer alive? It was too late for her to play it cool and pretend as if his leaving wouldn’t tear her apart.
She was falling in love with Caleb, and there really wasn’t anything she could do to prevent it from happening.Butshe could be proactive and try to protect herselfandLily from having their hearts shattered into a hundred little pieces.
By the end of the work week, word got around Yukon Cider that test audiences were raving about the new campaign, with a particular emphasis and enthusiasm for Caleb as the spokesman. There was a palpable buzz in the air at the company. Caleb couldn’t help but get excited, even though the campaign hadn’t officially rolled out yet. Sophia was getting kudos too, especially from Hattie, which made him happy. She deserved every bit of praise, and he knew how much it meant coming from his grandmother. Like everyone else in Moose Falls, she thought Hattie was the be-all and end-all. Truthfully, he had a serious case of shero worship when it came to his grandmother.
