Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 40969 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 205(@200wpm)___ 164(@250wpm)___ 137(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40969 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 205(@200wpm)___ 164(@250wpm)___ 137(@300wpm)
THIRTEEN
Celeste
“That stupid, stupid man. Did he actually think I would continue this ruse of what we started?” I tell Tyra face to face. There was no way I was going home. Plus, the little boy who’s currently cuddled in my arms, thumb in his mouth, and snoozing quietly is helping me calm down. I love the bond we share. We’re not blood, but that doesn’t mean shit to us.
“He’s a man, Celeste. I’m not sure they ever think.” Tyra got off earlier than me, obviously, since I decided to stay late. I didn’t even tell her that I was coming over, just showed up on her doorstep. Von was in her arms, crying for no apparent reason he was giving her. It was settled that I’d hang with him while she’d go take a shower considering her hair was every which way, a look of defeat written on her face.
“Uh-oh, I know that look and that tone. What’s wrong?” I ask. I’m sitting in the glider Tyra’s kept since Von was an infant. She’s in the corner of her couch, legs tucked beneath her, an old shirt on top of her head, wrapped around her hair. A trick we learned to help combat frizziness and breakage. A robe is wrapped around her slim form, and there’s an odd look in her eyes that I’m sure is not a good sign.
“It’s been six months. He shouldn’t affect me the way he does.” She takes a deep breath, tips her head back to look at the ceiling, unable to meet my eyes.
“What did he do, Ty? Do we need to buy some shovels and bury him deep in the desert?” I ask. We always joked that we’d have each other’s back no matter what, and this is one of those instances.
“He asked to take Von for a week straight. Since when does he take time off work? And to expect me not to see my boy for that long when he’s with me more often than not.” Oh boy, that is not what I thought would be the case. I figured it was more. I can’t take Von because I’m working later, but this takes the cake. Mace couldn’t make time for his wife and son, yet now he can. Something isn’t adding up. I’m not team Mace. There was a time when I was Team Family, but that changed when I saw what was happening before my eyes. Mace changed, and not for the better.
“Is that allowed, legally? When you have custody and the majority of time sharing?” I ask, at a loss for words, holding Von to me just a little tighter. He’s not my son; rather he’s my nephew, and there’s no way he could go a full week without seeing his mom at the age of four.
“Technically, no. It has to be agreed upon. There’s no way I’m going to, but if he pushes it, you know what that means.”
“Son of a biscuit eater, do you still have money on your retainer with the lawyer?” Tyra paid for the divorce, wanting it done and over with, since Mace wasn’t willing to scale back on hours.
“Nope, but I’m just going to ask him if we can do three nights instead. I already know he’ll probably back out. And you know I’d never keep him away from Von, but a week? When he hasn’t seen him for longer than thirty-six hours at a stretch on the best of times.” She didn’t have to explain that to me. I knew that already. Tyra has remained cordial this entire time, even when I’ve wanted to scream at her to toughen up and quit giving in.
“I know that. I’d see what he says. In the meantime, love on this little bundle of joy. My problem isn’t even a problem, not when you have Mace’s shit to deal with,” I tell her, because really, an innocent child is involved in this equation. Mine’s just a man who’s a bit of a dick for pulling the stunt he did.
“Yeah, I’m probably going to sit girls’ night out this weekend. Not that Mace is even taking him this weekend; that was another one of those gut punches. He wants him for a week but couldn’t take him this week to prove to me he’s putting Von first.” Von starts wiggling in my arms. I coo him softly, rubbing his back until he settles down again.
“Never an issue. You want me to hang out with you guys?” Some days, Tyra doesn’t mind having company, but there are those times when she just needs it to be her and Von. I respect it and understand that at the end of the day, she’s doing the best she can for herself as well as her son.
“Maybe Sunday? We can all go to Mom and Dad’s, swim in their pool, eat their food, and raid their liquor stash.” A hint of my best friend comes to the surface for the first time since I’ve been here.