“That’s not true.”
“It is. She was supposed to take me to the museum last week but she didn’t.”
“That was only because I had stuff come up at the club and couldn’t get home for her to take you. She’s still planning on it. She told me she wants to take you on the weekend.”
That gets his attention. “When?”
“Saturday morning. I’m going to stay at home with Travis and Meredith while you two go by yourselves.”
“Will she buy me ice-cream?”
And just like that, I realise Lily and I have work to do here. We’ve been trying to give Cade some space and not treat him like a little kid still, but I can see now that he needs us to go slower on this.
“Yeah, buddy, she’ll buy you ice-cream.”
“Good. And a toy?”
I smile at him as I nod. “And a toy.” An ice-cream and a small toy are the two things we’ve always treated the kids to when we take them somewhere special. It doesn’t happen often, and clearly it means a lot to Cade. “But you’re going to have to pull your socks up and stop treating your mother the way you did today and stop fighting with your brother.”
He looks down at the ground, not responding to that.
I reach for his chin and tilt his face back up. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
He nods and says, “Yes.”
“Tell me what I mean.”
“I have to stop pushing Travis over and I have to stop backchatting Mum.”
“It’s not just pushing Travis that you have to stop. It’s any kind of physical fight. Hitting, kicking, anything that might hurt him. It has to stop, Cade. That’s not how you treat the people you love.”
He nods again. Remorse fills his eyes, so I know I’m getting through to him.
I stand and look down at him. Using the firmest voice I ever have with him, I say, “I won’t be happy if I find out you ever do any of these things again. Am I clear?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now, go inside and get ready for bed. I’ll be in to read with you soon.”
He does as he’s told and I follow him inside before making my way to where Lily is in the bath.
She lifts her head and opens her eyes when she hears me come in. She doesn’t say anything, though; she waits for me to speak.
I sit on the edge of the bath and run my eyes over her. Ten years with Lily and some days it’s still like looking at her for the first time. I still discover something new every now and then. Or maybe it’s just that I bring a new perspective to our relationship every now and then, like I am tonight after talking with Cade, and see her in a new way. Whatever the fuck it is, there’s no denying that Lily always has every ounce of my attention, even when she thinks she doesn’t.
“Jesus, King, are you going to tell me what happened?”
I bring my gaze back to hers. “He’s feeling left out.”
She frowns. “What? Why? That makes no sense.”
“It does make sense. He thinks you want him to always step aside for Travis.”
More frowning. “Step aside? What does that mean?”
“He said he thinks he always has to let Travis win at everything.”
“But he doesn’t have to. Where is this coming from?”
