“Grandma was okay today when she picked us up. Tristan didn’t want to go with her, but I told him it would be okay, so he stopped having a fit. But then she made asaladfor dinner. And Marlie can’t eat that.”
I nodded, and when I spoke, I made sure none of my ire leaked out. “Did you tell her Marlie can’t eat salad?”
“Yes!” Her eyes blazed then, and I braced myself, afraid of what she would say next. “But Grandma said Marlie was getting chubby, and she should only eat salads until she wasn’t anymore. And I told Grandma she was being rude and she sent me in here.”
The rage that filled me had me seeing red for a minute. Only the warm weight of my daughter against my side kept me from exploding. “Get your things, round up your brother and sister. Right now. We’re leaving.”
She immediately hopped up. “Dad? I don’t like the way Grandma treats us.”
“Don’t worry, baby. I’m going to take care of it. Get your siblings and meet me at the door.”
Harper scampered out of the room. Before I followed her, I had to take a bunch of deep breaths to get myself under control. I was not a violent person in the least, and I certainly had never raised a hand to anyone. But in that moment, I could have strangled my mother for what she said. I’d done the best I could to shield Charlie from her for years, but there was only so much I could do in that regard. But this? This was the final fucking straw.
I strode out of the room. My children were huddled together by the front door, Harper holding both Marlie and Tristan close. My mother stood at the other side of the entryway, her face set in angry lines. I fished the keys out of my pocket and handed them to Harper. “Go get in the car; I’ll be right out.”
“Is it safe to give a child the keys?” Mom asked, brows drawn together.
I ignored that, knowing that Harper was very responsible. Besides, I was following them in just a minute. Once the door was shut, I rounded on my mother.
“Did you actually tell myeight-year-old daughterthat she was chubby?”
Mom scoffed. “Well, really, Lawrence. You’re so athletic, and she’s put on a few—”
“Enough.”
Interrupting her got her even more heated. “If their mother actually saw fit to mother them—”
“You’re. Done.” I’d gone past rage at this point, to a place where I was so calm it was scary. “We’re done. This is the last straw. Do not contact us. Do not try to see us. Starting tomorrow,you will no longer be approved to pick up the children. If you try to force the issue, I will get a restraining order.”
“Lawrence!”
“No. It’s over. I watched you tear Charlie down his whole life, and I did what I could, but I will be damned if I let you do that to my kids. It stops right now, and unless you can see the error of your ways and truly apologize, you will never see us again.”
She harrumphed. “Charlie is not much to—”
I’d never been so close to hitting someone in my entire life, so I did the only thing I could. I walked right out the door without looking back and straight to the SUV, getting into the driver’s side. Harper had left the keys on the passenger seat, and I quickly started the car and backed out. I drove for three blocks in complete silence before I felt like I’d put enough distance between us, and I had to pull over just to breathe.
After a few minutes, Tristan finally piped up, sounding a little worried. “Daddy? Are you okay?”
I blew out a breath, long and slow, and then twisted around so I could see my kids in the backseat. The girls had wide eyes, and Tristan was playing with the straps of his booster seat. Harper had gotten them all secured, and I hadn’t even checked before I drove.
“Yeah, I’m okay. I’m sorry Grandma said what she did. She was very,verywrong. And if it’s okay with you, we’re not going to see her or talk to her for a long time.”
Tristan’s grin was so wide his eyes scrunched up. Harper nodded quickly. Marlie, on the other hand, burst into tears.
I was out of the car so fast my seatbelt didn’t even have time to retract before I was wrenching open the back door and leaning over Tristan to get my hands on her. She put her face against my shoulder and Tristan patted her awkwardly on the head.
“Oh, baby girl. What’s the matter?”
She sucked in a breath, the lip wobble making an audible noise. “She makes me feel bad.”
“Shhh. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” I soothed, my heart breaking. “I’m sorry I didn’t see it before or stop it sooner. But I promise, she won’t be able to make you feel bad anymore. I won’t allow it.”
“We know you won’t, Dad.” Harper’s voice was sure.
I’d never been more grateful for my long arms than in that moment, when I could pull all three of them in and hug them tightly. It lasted for a few minutes until Marlie’s sobs quieted down to a sniffle and Tristan complained he couldn’t breathe, then faked choking and dying. It was dramatic, and a little funny, and Marlie got the giggles instead. I don’t know if it was my son’s intention to break the moment, but it was what we needed. We all laughed when I gave Tris fake CPR and he miraculously rose from the dead.
“Now, how about we swing through a drive thru and get some food to fill our empty stomachs, and then we’ll go home. How’s that sound?”
