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As Candi got Wyatt ready to leave, he said, “Are we going to see Eli?”
The air left the room. I wasn’t sure what they had explained to Wyatt about Eli, so I didn’t know how to jump in and respond. Cee choked up a bit and Candi stepped in. “No baby, remember? We can’t see Eli anymore.”
Wyatt’s little lip trembled, and Cee went to hug him, but Candi was already there, and he cuddled her. “But I misses him,” Wyatt sniffled. Tears were now pouring down Cee’s face. I reached for her hand and squeezed it.
“I know, Wy. Mama misses him too. Come here.” Cee tried to bring Wyatt over for a hug.
Wyatt shook his head and buried it in Candi’s chest. It was an innocent move, but his rejection broke Cee’s heart all over again.
She looked at me and whispered, “I need to go.” I nodded.
“Buddy, maybe we can come back and play tomorrow, yeah?” I asked.
He peeked out at me. “Maybe,” he agreed.
“We’ll let ourselves out,” I said to Candi and took Cee’s hand.
Once we were in the car, Cee burst into tears. I reached over the console and kissed the top of her head. “It’s going to take some time for him to understand what’s happening.”
“He doesn’t want me,” she whimpered.
“That’s not true, Cee. He has had a lot of changes in a short amount of time.”
I wasn’t sure if we’d try again the next day after Cee spent the afternoon and evening drowning her sadness in a bottle of whiskey, but she woke up hell-bent on seeing Wyatt, despite her hangover.
I’ll admit, she looked like hell. Weeks of not taking care of herself were catching up to her. She’d lost weight, and her clothes were hanging off of her. Her bloodshot eyes were rimmed with dark circles. I didn’t see it as a reason to keep her from Wyatt, though. Especially since Mason had invited us to dinner.
It seemed like a logical move on his part to smooth over the tension between Candi and Cee. I assumed he had heard what happened, and this was his way of neutralizing the situation.
I assumed incorrectly.
Everything started off just fine. Like the day before, Wyatt launched himself at his mom joyfully. Mason looked shocked when he saw her and gave me a dirty look, as if I was the cause.
Despite Cee’s attempts to be a mom, Candi was inserting herself in the middle. So, when dinner ended and Mason suggested Candi get Wyatt ready for bed so we could talk, I was ready for war.
“I don’t think this is going to work, Catherine.” Mason started as soon as Candi and Wyatt left the room.
“What won’t work?”
“You need to get your shit together before you can see Wyatt,” he responded, sipping his drink as if he was talking about the weather.
Cee tensed, but I stepped in. “Who said she doesn’t have her shit together?”
“I wasn’t talking to you,” he spat.
“Tough shit.”
“Look, I’ve known Catherine her whole life. I know when she’s unstable. It’s not good for Wyatt.”
Cee’s fingernails dug into my thigh. “I disagree,” I replied through clenched teeth.
“Then why won’t you let her speak for herself? Look at her, Sergio. I thought Candace was being dramatic yesterday, but she’s a mess.” He pointed an accusatory finger at Cee.
Before I could speak, Candi came into the room without Wyatt. “I told you, Mason. She’s upsetting Wyatt. Poor kid cried half the day yesterday. You can’t let her in and out of his life like this. It isn’t good for him.”
In and out of his life? I looked at Mason to see how he’d respond. He looked a bit confused as well, and I waited for him to correct her. “Candace, I have this under control.”
“No, you don’t. Look at her. She can’t be trusted with him. She’s out of her damn mind.”
