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“Plus, Daddy has his own girlfriend. Her name is Katrina,” Allie tells him.Yeah, and she doesn’t know about you but, she’s going to act like a two-year-old when she finds out.
“Is she pretty?”
“Yeah, she’s really pretty. I saw her earlier.”
“Is she prettier than you?” he asks her.
“Oh, she’s way pretty, but you know, I’ll bet she’s really nice and will be excited to meet you.”
“Oh. But what does she look like?”
Allie chews on her lip and I’m curious to know what she really thought of Kat. Kat doesn’t like other women apart from her close friends, and she would target Allie like a buck in deer season. “You remember that singer lady you saw on the TV with the pink outfit?”
Jadon makes a noncommittal nod, though I’m completely lost as to who she’s talking about.
“She kinda looks like that,” she says. Allie looks up at me and explains, “He has a crush on this kid’s show lady, so that’s where it comes from.”
I nod, understanding she’s trying to build up Kat for him. In truth, I don’t think she’s prettier than Allie. Kat and Allie are apples and oranges. I know Kat thinks she’s a supermodel, and Allie sees her that way, but really, there’s no competition.
Kat is beautiful in a more superficial way, because that’s what matters to her. Makeup, clothes, always has to be the center of attention. She used to scare me when she would take her makeup off because I didn’t recognize her. Allie doesn’t hide her flaws under all that. She can have a conversation with someone and it’s not entirely about her.
“How would you feel about meeting your daddy’s girlfriend and your other grandpa and grandma tomorrow?” Allie asks him.
“Will you be there?” he asks her.
“Well,” she looks at me, then at him, “No, I’ll be with Ted tomorrow. But I’ll be back tomorrow night and you can tell me all about it.”
Jadon pouts. “No, I want you to go.” He crosses his arms and turns his head away. Yep, just like I thought.
“Honey, why not? You can go with Daddy and meet more of your family. You’ll have another grandpa and then you’ll also have a grandma. You’ve never had one of those before!” she says, trying to cheer him up. Jadon’s not having it. If Allie won’t be there, neither will he.
“Hey, bud,” Ted bends over to get Jadon’s attention. “Mommy and I are going to be gone for the night so she can get a break. What if we brought you back a surprise? How’s that sound?”
Jadon continues to pout. I know I shouldn’t support this behavior, but I am for tonight. She really should come with us and meet Jen and my dad.
Allie sighs and closes her eyes. “Jadon, you can go meet Lucas’ family and then tell me about it over ice cream. This is a Jadon and Daddy visit. No mommies allowed.”
With tears in his eyes and a wobbling lip, he looks at me. “You don’t want my mommy to come?” He’s already got the cry down pat. Damn, this kid is good. I wonder how long he’s been manipulating her like this if he thinks he can do the same to me.
By the sound of Ted’s frustrated sigh, he knows the move, too.
Oh, Allie, you’re doing great, but you have to teach him some things.
She turns her head to look at Ted and I see the fresh markings of a hickey on her neck.
Really, Ted? You couldn’t wait until you left to mark her?
Did he do that out of anger? Was she okay with it?
He clears his throat while I bite my tongue at the burning questions. Instead, I smile at Jadon. “Of course I want your mommy to come, but remember, she’s going away with Ted on a trip. They have someplace to go just for the two of them.”
I’m an asshole.
“Ted, can we talk outside?”
Great. Another “talk” in private. Is she coming back with another spot on the other side of her neck next?
She sets Jadon down in his seat and after they go out the front door, Tom makes a throat-clearing sound.
