My back stiffens, and I have to tamp down that urge to go kick Drew’s ass again. It’s bad enough he’s talking negatively about Ella, but to do it in front of their sons tells me everything I need to know about him as a man.
“He’s doing that with Cameron around, too?” I ask.
AJ shakes his head. “No. He usually waits for Cam to go to sleep or when he’s not around. I know you’re going to say to tell him I don’t like it. I have, Unc. He doesn’t care. He just goes in on her, how she’s not as smart as the new girlfriend, or how she doesn’t fix herself up, and even how he got trapped by her because of me.” AJ sighs. “When I heard that kid doing the same stuff to the girl in class, all I saw was my dad.”
“Have you talked to your mom about it?”
“No,” he shakes his head vehemently. “I don’t want her to know. You know how Mom is. She’ll take it all to heart. She was just starting to be her old self again. Between this and the wedding, I don’t want to set her back.”
“I understand your need to protect her, but you’re still a kid, AJ. You can’t place all that on your shoulders. Plus, Ella is stronger than you think. It may take her a moment to see it herself, but she is.”
He doesn’t look convinced, but that’s okay. He’ll see it soon.
“I won’t tell her why you were triggered, but I will tell her why you fought.”
He nods his head.
“And I’ll talk to your father.”
“Thanks, Uncle Mitch.”
He stands. I climb to my feet, too. We quickly hug. I pull back and look at him.
“I know this is hard for you, but never let me see you disrespect your parents like that again. Especially not your mother.”
He ducks his head but nods. When he goes to his bedroom, I make my way out to the back patio. I find Ella sitting on her wicker lounge sofa, her legs tucked up to her chest. I walk around to the front of her. It doesn’t shock me to find her crying. I take a seat on the sofa, right in front of her. Tugging her legs,I stretched them out in front of her and placed them across my lap.
She wipes her cheeks. “I don’t know why I still let him get under my skin.”
“He said some pretty hurtful things. It makes sense.” I shrug.
A weak smile lifts her face.
“But I hope you know all that stuff he said is bullshit. You’re a great mom, El. You should never ever let that doubt cross your mind.”
She huffs and rolls her eyes. “A great mom whose son is suspended for starting a fight.”
“I don’t agree with him fighting, but he had a good reason.”
Her brow lifts. “He told you why he got into a fight?”
“Yep. He was standing up for a young lady by teaching a bully a lesson.”
She moves her legs out of my lap, planting her feet on the ground.
“Why didn’t he tell us that? I wouldn’t have punished him for so long.”
I hold up a hand to stop her. “At what point during that situation did you think he had time to explain that?”
She chuckles, dropping her head down between her shoulders.
“I guess you’re right. That was a disaster.”
She leans back on the sofa. I joined her, our shoulders touching.
“Thanks for everything.” She turns to look at me. I face her. “You’ve always had an amazing relationship with the boys. They’ll talk to you about stuff before they ever talk to me and Andrew. If I haven’t told you enough, I appreciate you. You’ve made this transition so much more bearable.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I got you. Always remember that.”
