Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
“That’s very true.” I swallow past the lump in my throat.
“Harley says they’re up in heaven watching us. And if we pay attention sometimes, they send us signs.”
“Is that so?” Sometimes I wish Marcie would send me a sign. Something to let me know that she approves of my choices. That Harley is the right one for me and Peyton. That she’s okay with me moving on.
She nods. “Do you think Mommy would have liked Harley?”
I have to clear my throat to answer. “I think she would have.”
“Me too. I wonder if Mommy and Harley’s mom are friends in heaven. That would be nice, wouldn’t it?” She takes another bite of her grilled cheese.
Her gentle innocence breaks my heart and makes it swell at the same time. “It would.”
Twenty-One
AN UNCERTAIN TRUCE
HARLEY
At ten on Sunday night, just as I’m getting ready for bed, my phone rings. I check the screen, and my heart does a little leap and spin in my chest.
I answer the call with, “hey.”
“Hey, yourself. I missed you this weekend.” Gavin’s voice is soft and raspy. He clears his throat. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” I drop down on my couch, put the phone on speaker, and set it on the armrest.
“For the way Karen acted on Friday, and for not putting her in her place. For not sticking up for you the way I should have, and for letting her undermine my parenting,” he says softly.
“I’m trying to understand why you allow it and what exactly I’ve done to make her dislike me so much. Does she know about what happened before you moved? That I tried to kiss you?” Even now, after our discussion and his assurances, I still feel the familiar heat of embarrassment creeping up my spine. Especially at the idea that he might have confided something like that to his mother-in-law.
“God no. I never told anyone about that.”
“Not even Ian?”
“No. Not even Ian.” He sighs. “It’s not about you, Harley. Karen is struggling with the fact that she was basically a mother figure for Peyton, and now she feels as though that’s been taken away from her because of the move. And now we have you.”
It takes a few seconds for it to sink in. “Oh. Oh.” I consider how hard that would be, going from seeing Peyton almost daily to only once a month. It would be similar to a divorced parent losing most of their custodial rights. “And she sees me as a replacement?”
“I guess in a way. I knew it was going to be hard for her. I don’t think I realized exactly how hard. And it’s made that much harder for her because Peyton has settled in here so quickly. And she talks about you a lot.” Gavin’s voice is full of apology.
Some of my frustration with Karen disappears. “This is a delicate balance for you, isn’t it?”
“It is, and I can’t control Karen’s behavior, but we sat down and talked it through, and I think we’re in a better place. I assured her that her role in Peyton’s life hasn’t changed, and that she needs to let me do the parenting, since it’s my job. And that she needs to cut out the snide comments because they’re not going unnoticed and it’s unfair to you.”
“How did she take that?”
“She was defensive at first, but I think she understands where the lines are now, and I’m hoping she’s going to toe them.”
“That seems like progress? Baby steps?”
“Baby steps.” He pauses for a moment. “That’s all we can ask for, isn’t it?”
“I think it’s reasonable.” I’m going to cross my fingers that the next time I see Karen, there’s less hostility from her, and I don’t have to protect my feelings with battle armor. “And this is uncharted territory, isn’t it? We can’t expect it to be seamless.”
“No, I guess we can’t. How are you so wise?”
I glance at the gallery of photos on my wall, my gaze catching on the last family photo we had taken before my parents died. We were standing in front of Spark House, Grandma Spark standing to the right of my dad, her hand on my shoulder. Even then, she felt more like an additional parent than a grandparent. I imagine it’s much the same for Karen. “Loss at a young age does that, I think.”
He makes a noise, but doesn’t comment otherwise. “Are you still able to pick up Peyton after school tomorrow?”
“Absolutely.”
“Great.” He sounds relieved. “She really wanted to see you today. We both did. I missed you.”
My heart squeezes at the admission. “Me too.”
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow and seeing your beautiful face.”
I chuckle. “And I’m looking forward to seeing your handsome one and Peyton’s cute one.”
He laughs along with me, and then clears his throat, his voice suddenly shy. “Maybe you want to pack an overnight bag?”