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“I don’t want to go to his house. I want to stay wif you at our house.” He squeezes my hand, and my heart aches like his tiny fist has wrapped around it.
“I know, but Daddy misses you.” I open his door when we get to my car and toss his bag inside before lifting him off the ground.
“I don’t want to go.” Instead of addressing that comment, because it will likely lead to tears and maybe even a tantrum like earlier, I place him in his car seat. After he’s buckled in with no way to escape, I start to tickle and kiss him until he’s giggling and shouting at me to stop.
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop.” I lean back and take in his smiling face. “I love you.”
“I wuv you too.” With one last kiss to his nose, I step back and shut his door, then open mine.
Before I even get my keys in the ignition, my cell starts to ring, so I dig it out of my bag, praying it isn’t Bowie calling to cancel like he did earlier this week, when he said he had to work overtime and couldn’t keep Kingston like planned. Although I would never complain about having the extra time with my baby, it’s hard on Kingston, especially at this stage. I know he loves his dad, but right now, he’s still very attached to Mom, so I have to get him excited about going to Bowie’s when it’s his time, then deal with the letdown that comes when those plans change.
Finally pulling it out, I see it’s not Bowie but Emma calling, so I press Ignore, then send her a quick text that I’ll call her back after I drop off Kingston.
I know why she’s calling. She wants to make sure I’m still planning on having dinner with Eli’s friend Calum tonight. A dinner I’ve had to cancel a few times, because I’ve had Kingston and would rather soak up my time with him than have Emma babysit so I can go on a date. One good thing is Calum has been very understanding each time I’ve basically stood him up, so he has that going for him.
Putting all that out of my head for now—because when I think about my impending date with Calum, I think about Tucker, and I don’t want to think about him—I shove my key in the ignition and back out of my parking spot, then head across town.
“Wow.” I look at Kingston in the rearview mirror. “It looks like Grandma got a cool new car,” I tell him as I pull in behind a fancy red sports car that is parked next to Bowie’s truck in the driveway at his house. He doesn’t respond. Then again, he’s been quiet for most of the drive. The only time I was able to get a little smile out of him was when I pointed out the billboard for a dinosaur exhibit that’s happening at the zoo this month. “Ready?” I get his bag, then take him out of his seat, placing him on his feet.
“I want to stay wif you, Mommy.”
“Go ring the bell for me,” I say, hoping to distract him, and thankfully it works. He runs ahead of me up the sidewalk and climbs the steps. When he presses the bell and the door is opened, the smile on my face falters. I didn’t once think about Naomie being here. It never even crossed my mind that I would have to see her in the house where I used to live and that I would be dropping my son off to spend the night with his dad and possibly her.
Sick to my stomach, I stare at her, and she stares back, looking… triumphant?
“Hey, buddy.” Bowie steps in front of her, blocking her from my view as he bends down to pick up Kingston before his eyes come to me. “Miranda.”
“Hey.” I take two steps toward the door and hold out Kingston’s bag. “He packed some of his toys and a few books.”
“Thanks.” He takes it, and I nod and don’t have a chance to take a step back before Kingston lunges from his dad’s arms and into mine.
“Mommy!”
“Hey,” I whisper against his ear as I hug him tight. “You’re going to have the best time with Daddy.”
“I don’t want to stay here,” he whispers back, and my throat burns. Everything in me wants to run back to my car with him and get as far away from here as I can. But I can’t do that.
“Bud, you’ll see Mom tomorrow,” Bowie says, rubbing Kingston’s back. “And we’re going to have fun. We’re going to the park and to eat ice cream. It’s going to be a great day.”
Forcing a smile, I drag in a breath and move him closer to Bowie. “Go with Daddy, and then call me tonight and tell me everything you did.” After looking at me for a long time, he nods and goes to his dad, tucking his face in his neck.
