by Leanne Davis
Kyomi continued that routine for half an hour. Russell cried all the while.
“Is there something I’m missing? Some part of the list I don’t know about?”
Francine shook her head. “No. That’s it. He doesn’t have colic or anything. He just cries sometimes. Except with Hunter. It’s so fucking annoying.” She flounced onto the couch, crossing her arms over her chest.
Start over. Kyomi did the entire list again, everything except the feeding as it wasn’t time. She burped him and was rewarded with a loud belch, after which he simply stopped crying. “Holy crap. This magical list works. He just needed another burp.” The unbridled joy and glee that zinged through her blood overcame Kyomi. She did it. She followed the list and did it. The baby quit crying and his eyes fluttered closed.
Gently, with the utmost of care, she lowered the baby into the little bassinet near the couch. Miracle of miracles, he stayed asleep, turning his mouth into a little frown and then becoming still.
Fast asleep.
Turning sharply, she found Francine staring over her shoulder. “You did that well.”
“Just following the list.”
Francine shook her head. “He’s precious when he sleeps, isn’t he?”
Kyomi nodded. “Yeah, he really is.” Staring down at the baby, there was a moment of shared peace, which almost turned into contentment. She was startled to be sharing it with Francine as she watched her from the corners of her eyes. A sense of calm overtook Francine as she watched Russell sleep, a serenity that Kyomi never observed from her in real life. For the first time, it dawned on Kyomi that this woman was his mother. She probably loved the baby, but was ineffective in caring for him. It was a new experience for Francine. At least, for that moment.
“I try, you know.” Francine stared down at the angelic infant. So did Kyomi. They had to whisper, which oddly seemed to infuse the space between them with a strange energy. “But I struggle to calm him down and stay calm. The more upset he gets, the more flustered and desperate I get. Hunter, on the other hand, always manages to stay so calm. All of his life in general seems to go so smoothly. I was drawn to that initially. Stanley was fun and crazy, chaotic and insane to seek new experiences all the time. But it got tiring. Hunter—”
“Franny, I know all about Hunter, including who and what he is.” She cut her off with a sharp but quiet whisper.
Francine turned to glare at her again. “Francine.”
“Franny,” Kyomi repeated without blinking. “It’s easier to remember. So anyway. We agree Hunter is a calming, responsible presence. But he needs more help.”
“It’s easier for me to stay calm when he’s around, I always do better when he’s at home.”
“But Hunter can’t always be around. You’re running him ragged. He works all day and the baby occupies him most of the night and takes up all his spare time. You have to learn how to stay calm too.”
“You’re really okay with the two of us sharing this baby? You’ll never be his baby-mama. I’ll always have something you don’t with him. I’m—”
“Full of shit. I can be his baby-mama. We could have five more kids. Of course, I can share parenthood and all the intimacy you’re referring to with him. But that’s for us to determine. And yes, I’m okay with having to deal with you and I’m fine with Russell. It’s not what Hunter planned for us, but I’ve had a lot of experience with the best-laid plans not working out or surprising me in the way that they do.”
She snorted derisively. “How? Did your cattle run off or something?”
“Yes. Sometimes that happens.” She kept her tone mild, resisting the snarky bait. “But I learned it when my brother shot my other brother dead. Fratricide is the legal term. That changed a lot of my plans. So coping with the arrival of a live, healthy, breathing baby boy? Pretty easy for me to get used to and accept and even find reasons to be joyful about. Franny.”
Francine’s mouth hung open vacantly. “I—I didn’t know.
“Why would you? Why would you care?”
“Just trying to figure you out.” Russell stretched and his delicate, little fingers slipped out of the blanket. Francine leaned forward and gently patted him.
“Why? I wouldn’t think you’d be interested.”
“You’re nothing like what I pictured.”
Kyomi snorted. “Duh. I’m half as pretty as you. And you’re not what I expected from Hunter. After hearing a lot about you, you’re not the right personality for him.”
A dark cloud passed over Francine’s face as she gripped the edge of the bassinet and shrugged. “That’s fair. I’m not.”
Surprised, Kyomi stared at her. “You admit it?”
“Should I list the reasons? But you are, huh? The right personality for him?”
“Yes. I am.” She stared straight into Francine’s eyes.
Francine shook her head. “Are you a permanent fixture now?”
“Yes. Maybe not as permanent as a wife yet, but someday, I think we’ll get there.”
“Does he know that?”
Kyomi remembered the words he said to her, the way he held her, gripping her, and seeming to need her, which made it easy to answer Francine with the unvarnished truth. “Yes.” Stepping back from the bassinet, Kyomi crossed the room so she could speak in a more normal tone.
“What do you think of that?”
“I think if you can put Russell Wilson to sleep that fast, maybe you aren’t so bad.”
Kyomi flopped on the couch and Francine perched on the armrest across from her. She was tired of this woman causing Hunter so much grief. She straightened up to say more.
“No. I’m not. But you kind of are. To Hunter you are. And I think you know that you are. He caught you having sex while you were still married to him. You realized you were in the wrong. Now he’s stepping up, helping you in all the ways a new mother expects; financially, physically and emotionally. I think you realize that and you like to take advantage of him.”
Her gaze sharpened on Kyomi. “It’s none of your business.”
“No. But I’m part of Hunter’s life. So are you. We can spend the next year or ten years or our whole lifetimes fighting and being catty and bitchy to each other. Giving each other as good as we get. I should warn you first that I’m a worthy opponent of slights, and can prolong the back and forth indefinitely if that’s what you want. I was raised with two older brothers who loved getting me into trouble. I became a master at getting them into trouble for things they never did. A master.” Her heart blipped. She hadn’t thought about that in years. She had to smile at the memory of her brothers so long ago. Shaking it off, she continued, “So if you mess with me, I mess back. Harder and meaner. You will be on the losing end. Or we could agree to grow up, face the facts and make a truce. It’s your call.”
Francine’s gaze started out scornful but slowly softened into a puzzled expression. “You are really blunt.”
“I am. But I can also be sneaky. And manipulative. I can play this subtle back and forth with you and win, believe me. Test me. Or we can make our peace.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because I can help with your son. I’ll be around. It’s something you have to accept if you want the ease and access to Hunter that you’ve had to date. I disappeared to give him time, not you. He needs to adjust. He wouldn’t even be here if I hadn’t insisted on it. So consider that. He listens to me.”
“So you manipulate him and condemn me in the same sentence?”
“No. I’m honest with him and he knows he can trust my judgment and advice. The two are entirely different things. Until you became the mother of his child, you were only referred to as the stepbrother-fucker by him. You must realize there will never be a reconciliation with Hunter. No matter what. But I could give you some help with your baby and create a healthier environment for him to grow up in.”
Francine eyed her. “You’re unlike any woman I know.”
“Don’t you get it? That’s what he lov
es about me.”
She sucked in a breath. “He loved me once.”
“He did. He never denied it. But he doesn’t anymore. He loves me. You know that. You see it and that’s why you’re trying to sabotage it. I’m just explaining right now that it won’t work. It’s all on you as to how long our feud lasts and how vicious it gets.” Kyomi pretended to yawn. “Personally, I’d be grateful for any extra help I could get with my infant than to waste so much time engaging in a she-fight. But whatever, you decide, Franny.”
“I hate that nickname.”
“You need Hunter more than you need a fight.”
She sighed. “I do. I guess we could be… well, never friends… but fine, we can agree on a truce.”
Kyomi faked a neutral nod, but inside, she was doing backflips of excitement. She put her hand out. “Shake on it, Franny. And promise there will be no more games or bitchy stuff and you’ll reap the rewards.”
“Like what?” One eyebrow rose up high to indicate her obvious curiosity.
“Like, if you want to go out right now, or go to sleep, or whatever, I’ll take care of Russell all afternoon and the rest of the night.”
Suspicion filled her face. “Why would you sacrifice your whole night babysitting?”
“Because I like him. I don’t mind.”
Her eyebrows lowered and rose as Francine shook her head as if that just couldn’t be a possibility. But finally, she nodded. “Okay. I would love to go to Clarique’s and get some new makeup. Maybe do a little shopping.”
“Franny?”
Francine lifted her face when she detected the warning tone of Kyomi’s voice. “Don’t. It’s Hunter’s money. You can’t spend it. Not even for baby things and definitely not on anything for yourself. Forget about all the things that you’re used to having because you had stupid parents who never said no. They overindulged and spoiled you.”
Incredulity was etched on Francine’s face. It wasn’t pretty. Rising to her feet, Francine stomped a foot and exclaimed, “How dare you?!”
“Easy. I know who pays the bills. Do you even know what a budget is? Have you ever had a limited amount of money and too many ways you had to spend it? Have you ever seen how quickly it disappears when there are bills to pay?”
Her mouth resembled a fish, floundering on land after the tide went out. She, however, was not gasping for air. In Franny’s case it was money.
“Judging by your reaction, no. I’ll teach you how to live on a budget. Hunter totally rejects you. He thinks you’re evil and vindictive. A vulture. I don’t agree with him. I think you were never taught the right lessons. You can be better. You can rise above the woman you were. You can choose to be honest, caring and set a positive example for your son. I think you can create a budget for yourself and stop being the whining, horrible, spoiled diva you’ve been to date. But it’s all on you, Franny.”
“What… what makes you think that?”
“I’ve watched you with Russell. The desire to do it right exists. It was buried under your baser, me-first, spoiled-brat persona. I think you could change it though. When I see you look at him, I believe you want to change. You have the desire but you don’t have any idea how to go about it. And you recognize in Hunter the integrity, honesty, and decency that Stanley lacks. That’s why you married him. You hoped all the feelings you had for Stanley would magically vanish. He was all the negative things I just described. To his core. I actually don’t think you’re as bad as he is. You just have to find your true values and change your life.”
To Kyomi’s shock, Francine’s eyes were filled with tears. She blinked and replied, “How did you… see that? No one else has.”
“Hunter must have. He wouldn’t have married a vapid, shallow bitch like you’ve been of late. I really believe Stanley was your fatal weakness. One you believed you could quit. But he had some kind of power over you. Like an unhealthy addiction. He used sex to manipulate you. Don’t be that girl anymore. Now you can be your own woman.”
Francine’s expression was complete puzzlement. She never heard such a speech before, but she was listening closely to Kyomi, who really believed there was much more to this girl.
“No. No one’s ever noticed that. Yes, Stanley was a bad addiction. I always tried to stop him. He kept coming back and pressuring me and I’d keep telling him to leave. I wanted to make my marriage work. It was just a game to him. He wanted to see if he could make me cave, and when I inevitably did, he gloated about it. Like I was the prize mare he stole from Hunter. I literally felt like that sometimes. Believe it or not, I managed to push him away for months on occasion. But the bad cycle would always start again. I loved him but I knew in my heart he’d never stay with me. He could have had me long before I met Hunter but he only wanted me when I started to move away from him.”
“You’re free now. Stay that way. I can teach you how to stick to a budget. You might find a new source of pride and confidence from being self-reliant. Realize that you can stand on your own two feet. Your mother turned you away, yet you managed to find Hunter and get the help you needed. Now? Don’t ruin his life. He’s helping you. He’s here. He’s a source of support. Don’t ruin his life or punish him for being a decent man. Don’t spend all his money. Don’t leave him broke and in debt. Learn how to live well on a budget. Get a job. Start living for yourself. You might be surprised how easy it is to reject Stanley the next time he comes around.”
“Next time? Oh, no, he’s gone. With that old lady…”
“He’ll be back next week or next month or next year. He’s a chronic manipulator. He likes getting what he wants. He’ll be back when he’s out of luck and money, and by then? You will be ready to reject him, Franny. Fully and without hesitation.”
She glanced down at her hands. “I doubt I could actually ever do that. I wanted to for Hunter and I failed even then.”
“Fuck that. Do it for you. You have to look out for yourself. Then it will work.”
Her head tilted. “You have a way of making things so simple and clear.”
She rose up as Russell started squeaking. “I do. I really do.”
“Wait.” Francine jolted to her feet, her eyes wide and almost panicked.
Kyomi was about to pick up Russell, but she immediately withdrew her hands and stood back. “I’m sorry. He’s your son. I didn’t mean to impose. I’m more concerned about how you relate to Hunter.”
Francine’s head shook. “No. Not that. I do appreciate you saying it though. I wanted to hate you. But you make it hard for me to do that. If I don’t go shopping, what can I do?”
Kyomi blinked. “Um. Seriously? You don’t do anything else but shop? You’re lost if you can’t go shop?”
“Yes.” Wide, blinking eyes met Kyomi’s skeptical gaze.
“Okay. Well, why don’t you just take a walk? Think about some things you might want to do. Maybe spend some time just figuring yourself out. Without Stanley or Hunter or Mommy or Daddy. You could start there.” Kyomi almost told her to try and get a job, but she had to take one step at a time. This girl was no more ready than a new hatchling when it came to everyday life. But she seemed curious enough to try. And far more receptive than Kyomi expected. “And then? Go to sleep. Tomorrow morning, you could take Russell for the entire day. Give us a free day to walk and enjoy ourselves. Calm yourself and you can be more confident with him, which will make him calmer. Babies are a new subject for me, so you can’t always take my advice.”
“It seems right. Everything you say makes sense to me.”
“Do you mind if I pick him up?”
Francine waved at her to go ahead. Kyomi slipped her hands under his back and bottom before lifting him carefully to her chest.
“Okay. I’m going out for a walk.” She came over and kissed Russell’s head. Kyomi was glad to see such a simple, ordinary, common reaction. Like any mother to her infant, there was hope for Francine.
“Franny?”
She paused and replied, “Yeah?”
“This baby has brought out some good instincts in you. Peel back the spoiled routine, and forget all the game playing your past with Stanley required. Tap into the good things more often.”
Francine’s expression fell with instantaneous sadness. “Why has no one ever said such a thing to me before? No one except my ex-husband’s new girlfriend?”
She smiled. “You realize we’re hard-wired to hate each other? We should be catty and bitchy and all that? I’m in the way. I’m holding your baby, so you should hate me. I can’t stand stereotypes and I always try to avoid them. I don’t want to hate you. Or do nasty things just because we can.”
Francine swallowed and Kyomi saw a gleam in her eye. Kyomi was ninety percent sure it wasn’t fake. “Neither do I. I’ve never really known a girl to reach out and be as honest and open as you are. Truth be told? I doubt I’ve ever had a real girlfriend. How could you end up being my first one?”
She glanced at the baby. “Well… why not me? We both have a stake in this baby and Hunter, so… why not?”
Francine’s smile was huge. “Yeah. Why the fuck not?! Society always portrays competing women as catty and unable to get along. That’s like… like mansplaining or something equally stupid. Why shouldn’t we help each other?”
Kyomi was shocked when she shared a smile with her. “I think you mean the patriarchal society setup. But I get it. I agree. If you’re willing to shatter the mold of what everyone expects, hell yes! So am I.”
“I am. I’ll probably suck at it. Will you… just always be this honest with me? No one ever has been. The way you state things so clearly and simply, I get it. I fully get it. I didn’t see it before. But when you say it, it makes sense to me. Stanley used me. I was an addiction to him. I ruined my marriage with an addiction. For a man who never really loved me. I gave up the one who did. I don’t want to be that stupid person. I love Russell Wilson; I want to be better.”