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“Can we talk about going back with you?” Joel asked. “If we can get that out of the way, it’ll be easier to move on. I hate having the uncertainty hanging over our heads.”
“You can move in with me,” Chris said, knowing that there would be major adjustments coming for all their lives. “I’m worried about such huge changes for you. It’s bad enough that you’ve lost your mother.”
“But we’ll be with you, Dad. I’m looking forward to it.”
“I am, too,” Chris said. “We’ll be together under one roof for the first time since you boys were kids.”
“Will Annie be okay with us moving in?” Joel asked, interested in more than just her comfort.
“She’s planning on staying in her little house for a while so it’ll be okay,” Chris said, exaggerating the truth.
“Aw, I’m sorry to hear that,” Joel said. “I really like her.”
They talked until well after midnight when Chris realized he hadn’t talked to Annie after promising her he’d stay in touch. Once he got to his hotel room, he sent her a text.
You asked me to stay in touch and all I can say is I’m so sorry. I went straight to Cindy and Kirk’s house and got caught up in visiting with Cindy’s family.
I just checked in at my hotel. I hope you can forgive me. Call me when you wake up.
The alert that she’d gotten a text got Annie’s attention and she read the text. But she wouldn’t call him then. She was too tired and too disgusted to have a meaningful conversation with Chris after hearing from Maggie that the boys were going to come back with him after all and he hadn’t had the decency to tell her. Two could play that game.
Rolling over on her stomach, she lay there thinking, feeling out of control. Everything would unfold without any intervention on her part and that scared her. Life was really out of her hands. She’d narrow her focus to two things—her son’s well-being and getting that thesis done.
The next morning, she texted Chris that she’d talk to him later, she needed to get Stevie to day care. After getting him dressed and fed, they walked into town to the old hotel that Maggie and Justin had bought expressly for a day care center, renting out the first floor to Calista Macon. Stevie loved it there; Calista’s twins were regulars and the second he saw them, he climbed out of his stroller, excitedly babbling with his little friends.
“I guess I don’t have to worry about him today,” Annie said, pleased, explaining what had happened over the weekend to a shocked Calista who crouched down to look at his back and neck, shaking her head.
“Do you want to change your emergency contacts?” Calista asked. “You added Beverly as one of them a while ago.”
“Yes, thank you for being aware of that. I only want Maggie and Katrina on it.”
“Not Steve?”
“No, not yet. I want CPS to work out that issue. He was supposed to have his weekend visitation and instead, he went out to dinner with his girlfriend and left Stevie in the care of his mother.”
“Ew, I hate that. You’d be surprised to learn how many parents do that. They have one Tuesday a week and one weekend a month, and instead of planning something special with their kid, they leave them with me.”
“Yeah, I don’t want that to happen with us. Stevie loves Steve and until last weekend, he loved going to his house. We’ll see what happens with CPS and whether or not the kid even wants to go there. If he has a fit, I’m not making him go.”
“No, I don’t blame you.”
“Don’t get me wrong, he loves his father. And I know that Steve loves him, too.”
“That’s wonderful,” Calista said.
“Alrighty, I’d better get back to work. I’ll come back before dinner.”
“Okay, great, but if you want him to stay with us till closing, he’s welcome.”
Annie turned to go, debating whether to say goodbye to Stevie and decided to leave him be with his little friends. The walk back home felt empty, probably a little depression from the tragedies of the last few days lingering. When she walked over the threshold of the house, she finally got out her phone to see if Chris had texted her.
I’m on my way to Cypress Cove with a rental moving truck, the contents of my storage locker, and my sons. I should be at the house at noon. Miss you!
There was no reason for her to reply to that, knowing he was driving. She wished she knew what was going on with Cindy’s funeral plans. Since he didn’t say anything about it, she opened her laptop and typed inCindy Johnson Obituary.
Cynthia Reynolds Harcourt Johnson - Suddenly. Wife of Kirk Johnson, mother of Benjamin and Joel Harcourt.
Annie read on, surprised at Cindy’s many accomplishments.
