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Chapter 10 - A Good Dad
Present Day
Ruby
“Jace, it’s time to go to Thia Amber’s!”
Jace loved visiting his Aunt Amber’s place because he loved his cousin, his built-in best friend from birth. I watched in wonder as my little man loped into the room. He was not so little anymore. He’d grown a lot in the past year, and at almost eleven years old, he was beginning to leave the boy behind.
I never imagined I’d have a child if not with Vander. Fortunately for me, seeing Vander walk away from me the second time, with no hesitation, weakened the spell he had over me.
Thank, God. I wouldn’t have Jace otherwise.
Jace slung his backpack over one skinny shoulder. He had dark eyes and dark, curly hair, like both Drew and me. He looked how I imagined a child of mine and Vander’s would have looked. This was no surprise. Drew was tall and dark like Vander, which was the bulk of his initial appeal for me.
Drew moved away for a job opportunity when Jace was almost three. I didn’t blame him. It was his chance to make his mark in an industry that was nearly nonexistent where we lived. By that time, Jace and I were only seeing him once or twice a month, and he was little more than a benevolent stranger who occasionally brought him treats.
I think I should have known what was coming when Jace asked him, in his baby-man English, ‘What your name?’ and Drew answered, “Drew.” I gave him credit for keeping up with FaceTime for awhile, it’s not easy to FaceTime with a toddler, and he visited Jace a couple of times during the first six months, but after that I got only excuses.
Eventually, after a year of near total silence, Drew told me he had married and was expecting a child with his wife.
She did not know about Jace and me.
I asked Drew to relinquish his parental rights, and he did, under the condition that should Jace ever need anything medical, that we contact him.
Occasionally Jace asked questions about his father. He had no clear memory of him, and I answered as best as I could, but I could tell my time of reckoning was coming.
Angus filled in where he could, including Jace often with his and Alex’s outings. Unfortunately, something happened between Gus and Amber and their relationship was currently in tatters, so Gus needed to spend time with Alex more than ever. While he always invited Jace to come with them, I managed to avoid it at least thirty percent of the time. Alex needed time with his father.
“Hey, Momma.” Jace leaned into me, resting his forehead on my shoulder. I ran my fingers through his unruly curls, lightly scratching his scalp. Soon, it would be my head on his shoulder. I shuddered internally at the thought. Time passed so quickly.
“How are you, agapimeno mou?”
“Good, Momma.” He stepped back and smiled, his eyes sweeping the kitchen, taking in everything at once, or so it seemed. “Where’s Yiayia?”
“In the backyard, checking on her tomatoes.”
Our backyard was tiny, as most backyards in the downtown were, but we never ran out of fresh vegetables in the summer.
“Shit! I locked the backdoor!”
I gaped at his use of the swear word. He laughed and clapped his hand over his mouth, then spoke. “Well, Momma, if ever there was a time to use it, locking Yiayia out of the house for the night would be it.”
I laughed too, then heard her pounding on the back door.
“Better go let her in, or she’ll boil you.” I smiled. “Hurry before she gets scared.”
“Coming, Yiayia,” he yelled as he ran to the back door.
After a moment I heard her voice, still strong at eighty-five. “You trying to make Yiayia to sleep outside tonight?” I wandered into the hallway, giving myself a clear view to the back door. Jace closed the door and relocked it while Yiayia shuffled inside, one hand holding the edges of her apron up, her tomatoes nestled inside the makeshift bowl.
“Sorry, Yiayia,” he said quietly. “That would have been bad.”
“Bad? Bah!” She snorted. “Yiayia is strong! You think I can’t break into my own house? Or go to my friend’s house next door?”
“Mm-hmm.” A smile pulled at the edges of his mouth. “But would you have been able to reach the latch to open the gate?” Jace teased.
She laughed. “Ach, I boil you!” She grabbed hold of his cheek in a pinch. Jace laughed through his ‘ow’.
