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Chapter 19
Tori
It’s been a week of the same. I blend into the background while Brady jumps into his role as a father. Annabelle drops Andrew off every day to visit. A few evenings when she comes to pick him up, Brady invites her to stay for dinner. I escape to the Center on those nights, politely declining his offer to join them. I get a fucking invite to dinner in my own house. Why doesn’t he see how that makes me feel?
The band practices daily to prepare for a string of shows Jesse has lined up. Andrew stays in the studio for all the practices even when I offer to hang out with him. I’ve offered the movies, and swimming. I even bought him a Lego set, only to be told he doesn’t like Legos. What kid doesn’t like Legos? This morning I ask if he’d like to go with me to the Center, thinking he’d have fun playing with other kids his age. He refuses, wanting to stay with Brady.
I’ve tried to discuss it with Brady. He tells me not to push it and that Andrew will come around. After our conversation, it’s blatantly clear that I no longer belong here. It’s just as he said — I’m a distraction.
Once practice starts and the house is quiet, I go upstairs to call my mom. I can’t pretend everything is okay anymore. After we speak, I go downstairs to get a bite to eat. As I pass the bathroom in the hall, the door swings open and Annabelle comes out. She nearly bumps into me.
“What are you doing here?”
She smiles. It’s the fake one that’s always plastered to her face when I’m around. “Brady invited me to stay and watch them practice. They’re fantastic.”
I can’t look at her. “Yeah, they are.”
“Are you all right?” she asks, and she actually sounds sincere.
“No, not really.” I look up at her. “Can we talk?”
“Sure.”
“Do you think you could talk to Andrew? I’m really happy he gets to spend so much time with Brady, but I’d like to get to know him.”
She looks at me like I have blood coming out of my eyes or something. “Why?”
The question takes me by surprise. It should be obvious.
“Well, if he’s going to be around, it’d be nice if we could have a relationship.”
“I don’t see why that’s necessary.” Her glib tone makes me realize what a mistake it was to ask. “He’s here to spend time with his father.”
I sigh and try to hold it together. “I get that, but I’m his stepmother.”
Her lip curls into a snarl. “No, you are Brady’s wife…for now.”
“Excuse me?” I know what she’s meaning to imply, but I wonder if she’ll actually admit it.
“Andrew needs a family.” She grins and I want to punch her. “A father and a mother. Surely you can see that.”
I don’t even know how to respond to the brazen bitch standing in front of me, mostly because she’s right. Children do need both parents. “Good luck with that,” I spit angrily as I turn and run back upstairs. God, that was lame. I should have leveled her. I fall onto the bed, sulking as depression overcomes me, coaxing my body to sleep.
“Wake up, beautiful.”
I open my eyes slowly. Brady’s sitting on the bed next to me. “Dinner’s ready.”
I smile and stretch. “What time is it?”
He taps my lips with his index finger. “Six-thirty.”
“I slept the entire day.” I don’t feel rested. I’m groggy, and my thoughts are still reeling from my little altercation with Brady’s baby mama. “I’ll be down in a minute.”
“Okay.” He slips off the bed without even a peck. Come to think of it, I can’t remember the last time he kissed me.
I wash my face and brush my hair before I go down for dinner. The aroma of pizza wafts down the hall. My stomach growls, reminding me that I never ate today, and why. Voices from the kitchen stop me in my tracks. I hear Brady offer Annabelle a beer.
“I shouldn’t. I have to drive back.” Her high-pitched voice prickles my skin. Then she giggles, and I gag.
