The day still clings to me like smoke, and Drake’s veiled threats remain lodged beneath my ribs like a poisonous dart.
But inside these four walls, the world loosens its grip.
Theo makes a beeline for the coffee table, where he pulls several dinosaurs from his backpack and begins narrating an elaborate battle.
I bet the kid would give Napoleon a run for his money.
Eddie heads for the fridge and pours me a glass of winebefore I can protest. He slides it across the counter and jerks his chin toward the table. “Sit.”
“Let me help.”
But Eddie shakes his head as he fills a pot with water. “No need.”
I take a sip of wine, grateful for the warm slide of it down my throat. “If I sit here doing nothing, my brain will eat me alive.”
“You’re not doing nothing. You’re drinking wine and keeping me company.” He points a wooden spoon at Theo when his son reaches for the television remote. “Ah-ah, buddy. Homework first. Then you can watch television.”
Theo groans like the world is ending. “But I hate spelling.”
Look at that, a perfect opening for me.
“I’ll help him,” I blurt out, already on the move. “You get dinner ready and Theo and I will tackle his spelling assignment.”
Eddie sighs and offers a mock salute with the spoon, aware he’s not winning this battle. “Have at it, Sarge.”
Theo and I settle on the floor, spreading his workbooks across the coffee table between us. He’s a super bright kid, but some of the letters still trip him up, so we go slowly—one word at a time, sounding them out together. Every time he gets one right, his face lights up, and a tiny piece of my soul comes back online.
When a knock sounds at the door, I pay it no mind, intent on helping Theo.
But when I glance up, Eddie is rigid at the door, his mouth a thin line.
“Deirdre, what are you doing here?”
“Theo forgot one of his books, and he needs it for school tomorrow.”
With that, his ex-wife steps into the apartment and I get myfirst real look at her. She’s tall, nearly as tall as Eddie, with dark blonde hair and a striking profile.
And Theo is a perfect blend of his parents. No wonder the kid is so adorable.
She sniffs the air. “Something smells good.”
“Spaghetti and meatballs,” Eddie replies, holding out his hand for the textbook.
“Theo’s favorite.” Deirdre smiles as her gaze tracks through the apartment, but it fades the second she sees me. She jerks her thumb toward the bedroom. “Eddie, I need to speak with you in the other room.Now.”
No hello or greeting for me. Just an ice-cold glare I’m all too familiar with.
So much for Eddie swearing she’d like me.
Then she motions to Theo. “You too.”
Well, thanks for making it subtle.
The low hum of voices carries through the bedroom door. Not loud enough for me to make out every word, but come on. I don’t need a transcript to know what’s being said in there. Any variation of the usual greatest hits should cover it nicely. She’s dangerous. Her husband is evil. How dare you bring Theo around her.
I don’t need the full remix.
I just need to leave.
