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"Am I wrong?" I lick my lips nervously. "Should I stay here? Should I do what everyone else wants?"
"No, honey," Aunt Jenny shakes her head. "I think your parents are thinking about what's best for Brianna. Not what's best forallof you."
"Should I..." I trail off as I stare at the plate in my hand.
"Yes," Aunt Jenny nods her head. "Go see Brady. I'll talk to your mom. And we'll make sure Brianna has a good time."
"I shouldn't leave her," I frown.
Aunt Jenny grabs a box of foil out of a kitchen drawer. "Do you know how many nights Uncle Kyle and I dropped the kids off at my mom's so we could, uh, doadultthings?"
"No," I shake my head. "How many?"
"At least once a week," she laughs. "Brianna is important and her well-being should be your top priority. But you deserve a little fun sometimes, too. Brianna will grow up and leave you one day. My kids are running out the door as fast as they can and it's heartbreaking. If I didn't have Uncle Kyle, my life would be lonely. So, while Brianna is important, so are you. You deserve to have a full life just like she does."
"It's just hard with Steve here," I admit quietly. "He's convinced we're going to work this out. But we're not. I'm trying so hard to keep the peace. I want Steve to be in Brianna's life. I just don't want him to...fight to be in mine."
"We will take care of Steve and Brianna," Aunt Jenny whispers. "You go have some fun."
"Are you sure?" I'm starting to second-guess this whole bringing Brady dinner thing.
Aunt Jenny hands me the foil. "I'll go get Liam."
"Oh, uh..."
"I know he's your ride," she smiles. "Like I said, my kids are running out that door as fast as they can."
"And you're just letting them?"
Aunt Jenny shrugs. "What other choice do I have?"
I quickly pack up Brady's dinner and grab a piece of pumpkin pie for him. Then, I quietly sneak into the living room and kiss Brianna goodbye before Aunt Jenny calls her over to play a game with Bea and Ben.
"You ready?" Liam says to me as Steve and Dad walk out onto the back porch with beers in hand.
"Yep," I answer as Mom gives me a disapproving frown.
The drive to the Glorious Pig goes by fast as Liam and I sing along to the radio. Liam annoys his siblings, but I've always found him to be goofy and loyal.
"You have three hours, Cinderella," Liam holds up his phone. "Then I have to be in bed. I have an early flight tomorrow morning."
"Got it," I smile as I gather Brady's dinner in my arms.
Liam holds open the rickety door to the bar and I flash my eyebrows at him before heading toward Brady's office.
The door is slightly ajar when I reach it. I knock gently and push it open.
Brady looks up from his desk. "Iz?"
I shut his office door behind me. "I brought you dinner."
He sits back in his chair, his eyes red-rimmed and tired. Relief washes through me. He needed this. I know he did.
Brady smiles at me as I hand him the plate of food.
"There's also dessert," I sit across from him.
Brady unwraps the food and inhales. "This smells amazing. Thank you for bringing me this, but you didn't have to."
