Her body began to tremble, and I resisted the urge to comfort her. I didn’t want to open that door again. It was slammed shut and it would stay that way.
But my heart did ache for her, for the relationship my children could have had with her mother had she made better decisions.
“When I found out Sydney was gone, I freaked out, Kevin.”
“So did I,” I said.
“And I blamed you for it. I accused you of being an incompetent parent without taking into account the fact that I wasn’t even a part of their lives.”
“But acknowledging that now is a good first step,” I said.
“I do want to be in their lives, Kevin. I want to see them grow up.”
“Then we can sit down at a predetermined time and talk about it. But you can’t show up like this. Look at what you’ve done to my morning with the kids. They were shuffled upstairs so they didn’t have to bear witness to your tirade.”
“I know, I know.”
“Do you really?”
“I’m trying,” Sarah said.
“I’m not saying you can’t be involved in their lives, Sarah. What I am saying is that it’s going to take work. And that woman up there? I love her. She’s good with our children and she will be staying for as long as she’ll have me. Have us. And you’ll need to be okay with that, or this won’t work at all.”
I watched Sarah’s jaw clench as my words hung in the air.
“Call me when you’re calm and when you’ve had some time to think it over and we’ll talk about a plan that works for everyone involved,” I said.
She nodded her head sadly but seemed to understand what I was saying. I felt relief flood my body as I realized she wasn’t going to try and fight me. At least no
t right now. Whatever happened tomorrow, I would deal with tomorrow.
“I have to get the kids to school now,” I said.
She nodded and turned toward the door. Then I escorted Sarah out of the house and watched as she left.
Brooke offered to take the kids to school and I called into work. I would be working from home for the day. I was too tense and disoriented from the surprise visit to focus in my office, and I wasn’t ready to open that can of worms with Owen.
But I was shocked when Brooke came back after dropping off the kids.
“Hey there.”
“Hey,” she said.
“I didn’t think you were coming back.”
“I figured you could use some company after this morning,” she said.
“Thanks.”
I moved my laptop off my lap and stood to go see her. I wrapped her in my arms and allowed my forehead to fall against hers. The rhythmic pulsing of her breath was soothing to me, and my hands pressed her hips firmly into my body.
“I want you around,” I said.
“Well, I’m right here,” Brooke said.
“I mean, I want you around more often. For dinners and weekends. More breakfasts.”
“That would require me staying over,” she said with a grin.