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Of course, I don’t argue. I need the practice too, and it’s not because I want to, but I have to loosen the shame around it. Sadie is Braxton’s daughter, after all. Why the fuck does she have to be?
I buy her a lacy lavender dress and a pair of white heels, and now it’s an hour away from the wedding time. Sadie’s beyond grateful as she plants a sweet kiss on my shoulder as soon as the cashier passes me the bag. My blood boils a bit as I exhale.
Luckily, I booked a hotel room right across the street from Grant Park. Sadie is overtly emotional over Chicago’s summer beauty. As we stroll outside, she can’t settle her gaze on one area. It almost looks like she’s following a pretty butterfly or something as her eyes go from building to building and group of people to other groups of people. Her eyes go soft with an edge of curiosity when they land on me.
“Are you ok?” I ask her.
“This is incredible, the energy. I would never return to Hillpike if I lived here.”
I take her hand and direct her into the hotel lobby. Her palm is clammy and electric. The lobby smells like its polished leather furniture, and the details of the flower arrangements steal Sadie’s attention for a moment. I still can’t believe she hid in my trunk. She could use another shower, but first, I must get her a room.
“I’m so sorry, sir,” the receptionist tells me. “We don’t have another room available for tonight. There’s one room thatmaybe available later, but you’ll have to call the front desk after five o’clock.”
I have no time to ponder what to do next.
“Worst case scenario, I’ll crash on the floor,” I reassure Sadie.
Sadie isn’t bothered. Instead, she strokes my palm with her thumb. It sends a chill along my spine. I exhale as she inches closer to me once we are on the elevator.
“God, I want a shower so bad,” she mumbles. Of course, this reminds me of what can happen when shower doors are not properly closed.
I receive an email from my lawyer while Sadie’s in the shower. He informs me that making the decision to step away from the big city will certainly work in my favor to gain custody of Dustin. I couldn’t be any happier about this. I’ll have to pick up a few more things out of storage before I make my way back to Hillpike tomorrow with Sadie.
Immediately, I FaceTime with Dustin. But to do this, I reach out to my ex-mother-in-law. Fortunately, she’s a very cordial person.
“Dad!” Dustin’s bright face appears on my screen. His baseball cap is on backward, and he’s outside eating a hot dog.
“What’s up, bud? Did you have a great time at the pool?”
“I met a friend! His name is Yohan. And he does his backstroke like this.”
Suddenly all I can see are clouds, trees, and the ground, rotating back and forth. I can’t help but laugh at my son’s silliness. He can be such a goof.
“I can’t see any of that, Dustin.”
“Yeah, I know, but he’s awesome, and he was with his dad, and guess what?”
“What?”
“His parents aren’t together.”
“Oh, that’s a similarity you both have there, huh?”
“But his dad and his mom have, um…other partners. Not only the mom. You know, like Mom has Stewart, and you don’t have anyone.”
I can’t help but chuckle. He gives me a shrug.
“Yep, there are all kinds of families out there. It helps that we’re all unique.”
Dustin smiles. “I miss you, Dad.”
“Oh, bud, I miss you more. You’ll be home in a little over a month. I sure don’t ever want to be away from you that long anytime soon.”
“Me too.”
Honestly, I’m glad Courtney is settled in her new house. Dustin needs one of us to be in a secure home. And thinking of needs, Courtney needs to know she can’t have full custody just because she’s a control freak. The law won’t bend in her favor for something as pathetic as that.
I talk with Dustin for another ten minutes before a waft of steam floods in behind me. Sadie steps out the bathroom door.
