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“I know, Mom, and they will miss you too, but after this event, I just need to have my girls with me. I need them close.”
“That is understandable.” For a few more minutes, we talked about details. After we hung up, I sat in the chair beside Lauren and realized I now had my girls again full-time. I’d have to find someone to watch them during the day while I worked for the next couple of weeks since they wouldn’t be attending school.
It put thoughts of making things up with Brad kind of on the back burner, but maybe not. I hadn’t asked Brad to step in and help, and yet he had. Of course, I had no idea how things had gone with Emmy last night, so today, Brad might be contemplating running for the hills.
I called him, and he answered on the second ring. “Morning, how is Lauren?”
“She’s doing well. How is Emmy?”
“Great. She’s at my mom’s. The kids had school today, and I had to work, but my mother was happy to have her there. When I left, Emmy was putting the stuffed animals along the porch again.”
“I’m so sorry this is causing so much of a burden to everyone.”
“Nolan, it’s not a burden. This is what our family does. My mother is happy to help, just like I am. Speaking of which, will we need to stay another night at your place?”
“Yeah, looks like Lauren is going to be here one more night.”
“That’s fine. I just needed to know if I needed more clothes for the kids. Guess who helped cook breakfast this morning?”
I chuckled. “Did Emmy help?”
“Yep, she has very explicit instructions for how to pour cereal.”
I laughed. “That she does.”
“Hey, I have a couple of beds being delivered today. The girls won’t have to sleep on air mattresses anymore.”
“That’s great because they aren’t going back to my parents’ house.”
“What?”
“I decided to keep them here.” I explained my thoughts, and Brad thought it was a great idea.
“You know, I was kind of wondering how you’d be able to leave them again after this. I know that if that had been Tonya, I might not have been able to walk away.”
“Yeah, that’s kind of where my head was too.” I paused. “Brad, I know you don’t want me to thank you again or apologize, but I have to do both.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Well, first, you have stepped forward and helped me with so much. Not only you but your whole family. It is almost overwhelming the amount of support and love that you all have given me, and I know it’s how your family is, but I need to thank all of them.”
“You can do that eventually.”
“Yeah, I plan on it, but I need to apologize to you.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I do. I pushed you away and told you that I didn’t want to be with anyone, but that was a lie. I was afraid to get involved with someone. I didn’t want to be left again—especially if that person leaves my girls and me because of what we have to deal with daily. You have no idea what I went through when Rick left me for another woman and basically didn’t want anything to do with our children because of their issues. I don’t think that I could go through that again.”
“Nolan, as much as I want to have this conversation with you, I don’t think it’s one to have over the phone.”
“Maybe not, but I need to tell you what is on my mind, Brad. I kind of thought that all men would be like that. That’s why I said that I only wanted to have sex with you. I was afraid that you would meet my girls and then run for the hills, or your kids would make fun of them.”
“Nolan—”
I kept going. “But that’s not what any of you did. You and your kids have been fantastic. I didn’t give you or them enough credit, and for that, I am sorry.”
He was quiet for a moment, and I wondered what he was thinking. “Brad, you still there?”
