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She slides a message slip across the desk with just a phone number on it. It isn’t an area code I recognize, so I have no idea who it could be.
“Thank you, Shyla. I’ll see you in an hour.”
Shyla gets up and heads out the door, her heels clicking on the marble floor.
I look at the number for a long moment before getting up to close my door and calling it.
“Hello?”
There’s something oddly familiar about the female voice on the other end of the line, but I can’t quite place it.
“This is Derek Ledderman. You left a message with my secretary?”
“Several messages,” the woman drawls. “Don’t you recognize my voice, Derek?”
I frown. “No.”
She sighs. “I guess it’s been a while. It’s Suzie.”
I nearly drop my phone but manage to recover, walking back over to my desk and then pacing around the room.
“What the hell do you want?” I snarl.
“Don’t worry, your alimony checks have cashed just fine,” she says idly. “And you won’t have to pay them much longer. I’m getting married in about a month.”
“Congratulations,” I say flatly, hoping she knows I don’t mean it.
“I called because I wanted to give you an opportunity to bring the kids to my wedding.”
“When hell freezes over,” I growl.
“They’remykids, Derek. I gave birth to them.”
“That doesn’t mean you deserve to be in their life. Eli doesn’t even remember what you look like.”
Suzanna is quiet for a moment, and I hope she’s hung up. This isn’t the first time she’s called me, asking to see the kids. I even let her see Maggie and Eli a couple of times when they were much younger, but it was never consistent.
“I know I haven’t been there for them like I should. I think it’s time that I start stepping up to be their mom.”
“That ship has sailed, Suzanna. You abandoned them.”
“You mean I abandonedyou,” she accuses.
I grit my teeth, trying not to raise my voice. “You abandoned all of us,” I say tightly. “But you leaving them is what matters. They don’t want to see you. I won’t let you see them. Drop it.”
“I’ll give you a few days to change your mind. I know things are... rocky between us. Maybe you’re upset I’m getting married.”
I don’t give a rat’s ass what she was doing, all I can do is feel sorry for the sad sack she roped into marriage.
“But you’ll come around,” she says easily, and before I can start to yell into the phone, she hangs up.
I curse loudly and I’m glad I have my office doors closed. Today is going to be a hell of a day, and in the back of my mind, still, there’s that voice:Kenna’s going on a date tonight.
I can’t catch a fucking break today.
I plaster on a fake smile for the clients, take them to dinner, wine and dine them, although I make sure to keep the same drink the entire time. I’m not in the state of mind to be drinking tonight, given my conversation with Suzanna.
Back at home, I’ve finally nearly forgotten that Kenna has plans tonight until I see her at the door with her purse.
