by Teri Blake
She sat back heavily in her seat. “So, you’re saying there’s absolutely nothing I can do about the fact that my son started vaping because of his father. Because of the fact that vaping is legal for Rob? Is that what you’re telling me? What if Davin had gotten hold of some cigarettes, would that have been any different?” Couldn’t he see the danger?
“No, not really. It’s not like Rob forced Davin to smoke. I suggest you talk to Rob about this, though I doubt you’ll get far. He tends to dig in and fight.”
“Any other advice? You don’t think I’d have any sort of standing for changing the agreement based on this?” Didn’t they care that her son would be put right back in the situation that started this mess?
“You could try. Marijuana is a big debate right now in almost every state where it’s not legal, but again, we’re talking about two different things. Medical grade and CBD sold over the counter aren’t the same.”
“He only smoked the medical stuff for a short time, then switched. He left all of his paraphernalia sitting out and never told them not to touch it. That’s bad parenting.”
“Kids the age of your kids know about vaping. They hear about it in school and even from their friends. He knew what it was and that he shouldn’t touch it. I’m telling you, if you chase this, it will be a battle. You can do it if you want. I’m right here for you, but we’ll have a battle on our hands. I don’t know Rob as well as you do, but I know him enough.”
She closed her eyes and counted to ten. “All right. I’ll call him like you said and then I’ll decide. Thanks for talking this through with me.”
“Anytime.” The line went dead.
Karla took a few minutes to think about what he’d said. Rob would make this a fight and somehow, she’d probably end up paying to keep her kids. Money was the only thing that spoke to Rob. But her bank account couldn’t handle another load like Rob.
She dialed his number and held her breath. What if he didn’t answer? Last time she’d called him, she’d laid some very clear boundaries, which she was now crossing in directly asking him about his habits. If the call was just about Davin, it wouldn’t be, but she had to know.
He answered. “So, you’ve decided to change your mind? Worried about me, are you?” He chuckled.
“No. I’m not. Because I found out why you don’t have a job. What a crappy thing to do. You called me asking for money when you just wanted to sit at home and be lazy. You called me for money while you sat on the couch getting high.” He’d done it again. Just a few words into their conversation and it turned her sour to him. He’d fight her now for every word.
“Getting high? Where did you hear that? That’s a lie. I don’t do anything like that. I can’t afford it.” He sniffed loud enough that she had to turn the volume on her phone down.
“CBD, Rob. You were vaping CBD with the kids around.”
He laughed. “Is that what’s got you in a knot? Vaping? Yeah, I hurt my back and I used that instead of the opioids they offered me. Figured I shouldn’t be laying on the couch drooling while my kids were around.”
“Instead, you sat around on the couch telling them how great you felt. Davin came home with a pot habit.”
“So, that’s where my blue pen went. I’d wondered. Look, my doc says it’s not dangerous and the oils aren’t addictive. He’s fine. Maybe he needs it to chill out. He’s pretty up-tight.”
She wanted to reach through the phone and silence him. “Shut up. Don’t ever say anything like that to him or me ever again.”
Rob laughed. “Maybe you should try it. You’re pretty up-tight too. In fact, the last time you called me you said I was not allowed—yes, I’m pretty sure that’s what you said—to call unless it was specifically about the kids. So, why are you calling me?”
She wanted to scream in his ear that his own children didn’t want to see him anymore. That she didn’t want to see him anymore. That he could divorce her from Arizona and maybe then it would be legal in North Carolina…
“I’m calling you to tell you that because of your behavior the kids don’t want to go see you anymore. And I agree with them after what happened with Davin. I’ve always wanted them to have a relationship with you, even when you treated me like dirt. I wanted them to know their dad and know that you cared. But you don’t. Not anymore.”
He exploded, all his chill left far behind. “How do you know what I care about? When have you ever taken a minute to even find out? The kids don’t want to come here anymore, tough. They aren’t old enough to have a say yet and I’ll keep them as long as I can.”
“Only because it hurts me. Neither of them feel like you spent any quality time with them.”
“And they think you do? I’m sorry, Karla. That sounds like you fed them that line. My kids would never use that phrase, quality time. But you would. You’re so busy running after that inn and chasing Sawyer around, I don’t think you have any time for them either.”
He always said things to hurt her right before he took those complaints to his lawyer, but now there was an agreement in place. And Rob was broke, he might not still have his lawyer.
“I will fight you for full custody.”
“You go right ahead and try. I won’t be a full resident of Arizona before we could get a divorce there anyway or I’d just file here and we could argue this out in court. In Arizona, where I have better footing. You’d have to put your precious inn on hold while you came here to defend what you think the kids want.”
“It isn’t what I think, it’s what they’ve asked for. But you wouldn’t know because you haven’t talked to either of them since you dropped them off at the airport a month ago.”
“How would you know? Do you monitor their phones? I wouldn’t be surprised. You never trusted them or me. Do you talk to them every night about how bad their dad is with his new life? Do you tell them how awful he is and what he’s done to you?”
Guilt, even though she had no reason to feel it, stuck in her throat. She should protect her kids and she’d never said anything against Rob. He’d done enough of that. The kids could see what kind of guy he was.
“I don’t do anything like that. I may take their phones when they don’t need to be on them, but I don’t hover and I’ve never, ever, turned them against you. You did that all on your own.”
“You are the definition of a helicopter mom. Let them grow up. They deserve to be able to get out of the house and experience life. If anyone should have them full time, it’s me. At least here they have some freedom.”
Karla could feel the conversation slipping further away. “They don’t want that. They don’t want you. Don’t you understand? Can’t you do this one good thing for them? Please?” She closed her eyes, feeling the dreaded anxiety creeping up her neck. She reached for her laptop to straighten it and stopped before her fingers could touch the cold plastic.
He yelled in her ear, “No. I can’t. Because I don’t see that as good. How could I? They are my kids too. I’ll keep to your stupid rule about not calling unless it’s about the kids if you do the same. Don’t call me again after this.”
He paused for a moment, then went on, “And just so you know, everything I have done here is legal. Completely. You can’t take anything I’ve done to court and expect them to just bend over backward to make things happen for you. If you push this, I will push back.”
She’d hoped Davin’s prediction would come true and not hers, that Rob would realize he hadn’t bothered with his kids and they weren’t happy.
“This is about the kids. I called because Davin told me he got his vaping stuff from you. He ordered it using your credit card. Illegally. That makes this your problem. If you paid for his oils, that he shouldn’t have had, even if you never looked at your bill, then you bought an illegal substance for a minor.”
“You won’t give up on this, will you?” He made a sucking noise she’d never heard before and a harsh exhale.
“Are you vaping right now? While I’m on the phone with y
ou? What happened to you? You used to think smoking was disgusting. I don’t even understand how you could change so much.”
“Maybe because you never knew me at all? All this time you thought you knew me, but you didn’t try. When was the last time you sat with me after supper? You didn’t. You went to the kitchen and puttered around in there like an old woman or you took walks or you did things on the computer, but you didn’t sit with me.”
“You were watching sports. You know I can’t stand sports.” Everything she’d ever tried to watch had been so boring, she couldn’t handle it.
“Maybe I did know, but again, you never made time for anything I liked. I made time for your parties. I made time for clearing the beach for the kids. I made time to come to conferences. I made time to try your desserts even though I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. Did you ever think that maybe it might be nice to, I don’t know, make time for me?”
She couldn’t answer that because she thought she had. She’d made food for him to sit and watch games. She’d cleaned the house so he could invite his friends over. She’d made sure she stayed out of the way when he did, so she didn’t have to listen to them yell and curse at the TV.
He snorted. “Silence, huh? I’m used to that, too.”
“I tried to make you happy for fifteen years.”
“You did exactly what you wanted me to do. You tried to make me happy using your yardstick, not mine. I watched you and did things for you. After so long, I realized you were never going to get the hint. But Audrey did. She was a receptionist at work and asked me if I wanted to meet her at the bar to watch the game.”
Karla closed her eyes, reliving history all over again. The first time he’d called her “Karla” and not “babe”. “You never asked me if I wanted to join you.”
“You made it clear what you thought of sports, what you thought of camping, what you thought of buying a boat. Every suggestion I had for a little fun was met with immediate denial. Maybe, if you had given just a little bit, we’d still be together.”
He was obviously bitter over the separation and how much he’d done for her with no return. All this time he had tried to care for her, but he’d probably thought she didn’t love him, when the reverse was true. She had loved him, but didn’t realize he was giving her a test and she’d failed.
“I’m sorry, Rob.”
“I’m not. When I give to Audrey, she notices. When we sit down and watch football, it’s fun. She has a beer with me once in a while. She is everything you never were. If you hadn’t been such a stuck up, pain… I never would’ve gone out with her in the first place.”
Karla’s whole body shuddered. She and Rob hadn’t talked like this since they’d separated. She’d never known the whole story and now, so many months later, she couldn’t fix anything even if she wanted to.
“I’m not going to give in with the kids. I’m not perfect, but I’m the only dad they have. Probably the only dad they will ever have because no man is going to put up with being ignored as long as I did.”
Would Sawyer stay with her and test her like Rob? Or would he tell her if something was wrong? She’d talked to him but things hadn’t been back to normal since their fight and she felt like she’d ruined something really good.
“Well, that remains to be seen. I’ve got to get divorced from you first.”
“Six months to go, but if you file a motion to change our separation agreement, prepare to fight.”
She chuckled, because she already was.
Chapter Twenty
The reply text finally came through to Channyon’s phone two days after Aryn had sent off Channyon’s. She rolled over in bed and grabbed her phone. Her heart skipped as she opened it.
Hey, I miss you too. Things are crazy here. You available to talk?
Instead of answering, she just hit the call button. He picked up before the first ring even ended.
“I guess I can assume that means you wanted to talk to me.” He chuckled softly.
She didn’t realize just how much she’d missed his voice until he spoke. “You can assume that, yes. How is everything going?”
“Let’s not talk about that straight off. I miss you. Tell me what’s been going on with you. I just want to hear you talk.”
After waiting to hear from him for over two weeks, she felt the same, but he would tell her all he’d been doing soon enough. “I’ve been worried. Missing you.”
“We established that. But it’s good to hear. What are you worried about? Anything I can do?”
Channyon wasn’t normally the type to sugar coat things for people, but dumping all that had been on her mind over the last few weeks would only hurt the progress they’d made. He didn’t need to see her fears about losing him or her feelings of almost arrogance about having her own child instead of adopting. She wasn’t ready for him to accuse her of being less than accommodating just yet.
“I’m worried about Karla and the kids. She’s facing a lot and not sharing. She and Sawyer haven’t been talking. I’ve been worried about why you haven’t called, then I realized the text I sent over a week ago never actually sent. I was worried I’d agreed to let you go, just to never see you again.”
“I had wondered if you wanted to talk to me at all. Then I realized that I probably should’ve been the one to reach out, since I was the one who had to leave. I’ve been just working every minute to get this case to a place where I can come back for a while. It won’t be the end of it, but there’s a lot of hurry up and wait with a case like this.”
“So you are coming back. For sure?” He’d said he would when he left, but things could’ve changed. Just being away from him when they’d separated on good terms had made her want him back even more. But if that was possible, couldn’t he change in the opposite way and realize he didn’t want to return?
“I had every intention to. Even if I didn’t hear from you, I’d intended to come back to make sure there wasn’t another miscommunication. I’ve had enough of assuming.”
“I’m so sorry, Becker. I did make assumptions and as much as I want to say I’m ready to be your wife again, I’m still working through a few things. I’m trying, but feeling like you put me second is a pain that runs pretty deep.”
His voice was slow, measured, pleasant, “Channyon, I’m sorry too. I never meant for you to feel like anyone else was more important than you. I assumed things that hurt you. I didn’t think I was in the wrong. At all. I thought I was looking out for you, for us, the whole time. I couldn’t see what you were seeing because I had my eyes on what was coming three steps away.”
Channyon closed her eyes and imagined him sitting there with her. There were things that needed to be said, even after all the talking they’d done. “When, all that time, I was stuck on step one and hurting and unsure of how to tell you.”
She’d never been good about saying what was wrong to anyone when something hurt her. Even her own sisters. She was more likely to tell them about a problem than say she was hurt by something, which was how she got the reputation of being the strongest of the four.
“I appreciate that you trust me and can tell me now. I’m sorry you’re hurting and I wish I was there. It’s a lot easier to lean on someone when they’re right next to you. And, it is okay to lean on someone. I’m working hard to get back to you.”
“I know.” Yet he was still gone and he hadn’t called for two weeks. It wasn’t until she’d finally reached out with her text that he’d contacted her. The boy’s case had to be going wrong if there was so much happening that he had no time to even call or text. “You’ve been very busy with that boy’s case?”
Becker gave a mirthless chuckle. “Have I ever. What an incredible mess this is. If I have one piece of advice for you, draw up a will. Please. If my former client had done something that simple, there would be no case to argue here because we would know without a doubt her wishes. Now, we’re all just guessing what she would’ve wanted.”
“Have you spoken to the
boy’s wannabe father?” She still couldn’t think of a man who hadn’t married the boy’s mother as his father. If they were together so long that the boy knew him as a father and he hadn’t married her, then he probably wasn’t all that great or trustworthy.
“I have, at length since he is my actual client. I’ve also spoken many times with the grandparents who have stayed in town to deal with Sandra’s apartment and everything. They are, all three, good people. I don’t know how to feel about any of this. The grandparents want to dote on the little boy they never got to see because they live in far away Wisconsin. That’s why the boy never met his grandparents. My former client wasn’t even middle class, she struggled. Travel would’ve been hard. Especially that distance.”
That didn’t seem right. If they’d wanted to see their daughter and grandson, wouldn’t they have spent the money to visit or send the money to have them come? “If they are living well enough to take in the boy, why didn’t they pay for her to come visit?” The more she heard the more she questioned. Good thing Becker was the lawyer, because she wouldn’t want the child to go with either of them.
“They tell me they didn’t know she was so broke. They assumed she was mad at them because she had her baby out of wedlock and didn’t plan on marrying. While they were disappointed, they weren’t mad. They spoke, but she worked a lot and so finding time was rare.”
No one ever thought their daughter would die, but the boy was eight years old. Why didn’t anyone make sure the boy met his grandparents?
“Okay, so if this guy was so great, why did he let her live in poverty? He should’ve married her.” There had to be someone in the scenario that wasn’t innocent to help determine who should get the boy. There always was.
“He did offer. She even wore his wedding ring. But she’d wanted their wedding to be at a certain chapel in Missouri that her parents took her to when she was a child. Not only is there a waitlist, but it’s also expensive.”