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I took a fortifying breath, “I mean this in the most supportive way possible, but I don’t know if that’s true.In fact, I’m expecting to keep him with me longer than Christmas.”
She shot daggers at me with her eyes.“The fuck you will.”
I ran a hand through my hair—a habit Eleanor loathed.“You’ve had him his whole life, Catherine.Let me take care of him so you can take care of yourself.”
“Bullshit.You abandoned him.That’s on you, not me.”The dig went straight to my chest.She’s not wrong.
“Nevertheless, I think it’s for the best he stays with me.”
“I’ll get an attorney,” she countered.
“Do not waste your trust fund on that.I’m not asking for permanent custody here, I just want to make sure both of you make it through this.I promise, I’m not trying to steal him.”
“Get the fuck out of here right now, Mason.Get out!”she yelled.
Wyatt was in the backyard with her friend Michelle.I turned and walked outside to go get him.
“Hey,” she said.“That went about as expected, eh?”
“She didn’t stab me, so that’s a plus.Can you pack some things for Wyatt?I’ll bring him by tomorrow to say goodbye before we head down for a few weeks.”
“Yeah.”She nodded.“This really sucks.”She wiped a tear from her eye.
“I know.If I didn’t have to go, I wouldn’t, but the citizens of this commonwealth elected me to be their senator.I can’t just abandon my job.I’ve already been away longer than I should.”
“Call me every day with updates,” she demanded.
I agreed and coerced Wyatt back to the car.
The next dayI walked right into Catherine’s house without a knock.I was hoping she was out of bed and looking somewhat human.Yesterday, she’d held it together pretty well until our argument, but I was here to take her kid away from her for weeks at a time.
Her looking like everything was normal was probably asking too much at this point.I just didn’t want Wyatt to see his mother so distressed.
Catherine plastered on a brave face as we walked through the door, but her smile turned genuine when Wyatt ran into her arms.Standing beside her was a guy she works with, Sergio.He was the drummer of an up-and-coming band—okay he was also the drummer for a multi-platinum band before this one—and she worked as the band’s assistant.
“How’s my boy?”Catherine asked, rubbing her hands up and down his arms as she looked him over to ensure he was still in one piece.
“The Senator is taking me to work!”Wyatt chirped.Catherine and Sergio chuckled.
I ran a frustrated hand through my hair.“Buddy, call me anything butThe Senator.We’re family; you can use a more familiar name,” I urged.I wasn’t stuck ondadjust yet — the kid had only known I was his father for a matter of months at this point.But the fact he referred to me the same way my staff did made me feel like he didn’t accept my place in his life.Which was ridiculous.He was three.He was literally just calling me what he heard others call me all damn day.
Still, it hurt.At least before he referred to me as Uncle Mason.
“The Senator is gwumpy vis mornin’ a’cause Megan quit,” Wyatt explained to his mother.
One thing I was learning about this kid was he heard everything, and he repeated it.On the drive over, I was talking to Ben on speaker about Megan’s replacement and he called me grumpy.
“Shit.Megs quit?She’s been working for you for years.That sucks.”Catherine looked up at me with a bit of sympathy.All I could do was nod as I watched Wyatt run to his room for his toys.“So… she wanted more now that you’re divorced or what?”
“What are you talking about?”I snapped.Is it that obvious?
“Oh, come on.Everyone knows you’ve been screwing your assistant for years.”She waved a hand in front of her face.“I’m guessing you got divorced and she thought you’d commit to her, but you won’t, so she quit.”
You hit the nail on the head with that one.“I’m not discussing this with you.”I wondered who ‘everyone’ was and how long they knew I was hooking up with Megan.Not that it mattered anymore since she quit and blocked my phone number.
Catherine shrugged and went to play with Wyatt in his room.I turned to Sergio.“What’s your deal?”I asked gruffly.
“My deal?Not sure what you’re getting at,” he responded, standing taller.
