He’d been surprised by the call from his ex-wife. He and she had hardly talked in years, not since the kids had gotten old enough their parents didn’t have to discuss visitation and travel arrangements. He hadn’t missed talking to Lexa. On the other hand, he couldn’t blame her for feeling anxious about Trevor and needing reassurance. It was to her credit that she was still worrying, even if she had dumped their son on Richard.
“What happened?” she asked.
He hesitated. If anyone told her about the pregnancy, it should be Trev. He was almost a man; if he didn’t want his mother to know, Richard thought that was his right. Whether he’d told Brianna or not, Richard couldn’t guess.
“I really don’t know,” he said. “He’s begun to take responsibility, that’s all. Thinking about consequences.” Something about your baby growing in a woman’s belly did that to a man, if he had any decency to start with.
“So you think he’s gotten over whatever upset him?”
A tentative note in her voice raised Richard’s antennae. It gave him an inkling that Lexa did have an idea what set Trevor off. That she’d lied to him.
Yeah, why should that surprise me?
Suddenly he was pissed. “And what could that have been?”
“I don’t know!” The little girl voice became shrill, defensive. Nothing was ever Alexa’s fault. “I told you I didn’t!”
“Yeah, you did.”
Evidently not hearing his dry tone, she continued. “It must have had something to do with Davis and me. But why would that bother him?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “Are you seeing anyone?” he asked, hoping she wouldn’t take his interest as personal.
The small silence was answer enough. “As it happens, I am,” she said finally. “What, are you worried about me leaving Bree home alone when I go out?”
He was more worried if she wasn’t going out. He’d always wondered how many men she’d brought into the kids’ lives in between husbands. “Brianna’s fourteen. I think she can take care of herself.”
“I suppose you’re living like a monk.”
Richard couldn’t help grinning at her snottiness. It was damn hard not to say, As it happens, I’m not. I screwed a woman blind against a wall the other day. Or was I the one who went blind? Either way…never did that before. But, oh, damn, he wanted to do it again. Even if his legs and arms had both been shaking from the strain of holding Molly by the end.
“Probably better if we stayed focused on the kids,” he suggested.
She snorted. “Then why did you ask?”
“I thought it might have something to do with Trev’s attitude.”
More silence, which confirmed his suspicion. What he still didn’t get was why their son would go off the deep end because his mother split up from yet another husband.
“Listen, I’ve got to go,” he said. “I’ll tell Trevor you called. He’s, uh, still got a lot of anger. I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for him to get in touch.”
He heard sniffles, made himself murmur a few reassuring things and gratefully ended the call. With a little luck, he wouldn’t have to talk to her again for months. Maybe years.
It suddenly occurred to him that she might expect to be invited to Trevor’s high school graduation. That would be normal.
Trevor’s decision, he told himself. And it was way too early to be worrying about something that didn’t happen until June of next year. Then he wished he hadn’t thought about the month of June at all. That’s when Cait’s baby was due. Trevor’s baby. The baby that probably none of them would ever see, except possibly for Molly, who would likely be at her daughter’s side in the delivery room. Wouldn’t nursing staff whisk the kid away immediately, when he or she was destined for adoptive parents? Maybe the adoptive parents would even be there, in the delivery room. He found himself breathing hard, remembering the birth of his own children. The shock and joy, even for Trevor, whose conception sure as hell hadn’t been planned. The sudden, stunning love.
He gritted his teeth. Why was Cait putting them all through this? He knew where his vote would have gone, if he’d had one. And this wasn’t it. If there was anything crueler on earth to do to two kids the ages of her and Trevor, he couldn’t think what it was.
And he found himself aching as much for Molly as for anyone. Hearing that baby’s first cry, her grandchild’s first cry, and knowing she’d never see him again…that would haunt her for the rest of her life.
It might be cowardly of him, but Richard was intensely grateful that he wouldn’t have to be there. He and Trev would wait for a phone call and pretend to be glad when it was over, that Cait was all right, that the two teenagers could start looking to the future.