Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
SUTTON
“ I ’m glad you could come tonight, Mom. I didn’t want you to be alone.”
Mom pats me on the arm as the two of us walk up the path toward Derek’s front door.
“Oh, shush. I would have been just fine on my own.”
“Well, it’s more me then.”
I hate when I don’t get Lydia for Christmas. It’s my favorite holiday, and even though I know she loves spending time with her dad, I miss her.
It’s hard not to miss your baby when she’s not with you.
“It’ll be nice to meet Derek’s parents.”
“I’m glad you are.”
I couldn’t hide the smile if I tried. Because I’m hoping this will be the first of many holidays all of us will spend together.
Before we even get to the porch, the front door swings open, and Troy’s happy face is there with Derek standing behind him.
“Hey, Sutton. Hi, Tammy. Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas.” Mom presses a kiss to his cheek. “It’s nice to see you again, Derek.”
She’s only met Derek once, but she was instantly smitten with him. As she said, if any man that fine can make me feel the way he does, I shouldn’t let him go.
“Merry Christmas,” I tell them, stealing a quick kiss from Derek.
“Merry Christmas, Sutton!” Troy hugs me around my legs. “Can I show you my presents?”
I pat his back as he leads me into the house. “Yes. Tell me what your favorite present is.”
“My new hockey game.” Troy lets go of my hand and runs into the living room. What look like two, small plastic hockey goals are set up in the room. Two sticks and a puck are waiting between them. “Daddy said Lydia can play with me.”
I take one of the foam sticks from him and try to shoot the puck. It misses the net and lands somewhere under the tree. Troy giggles at my failed effort.
“Hopefully she’s better than I am.”
“Daddy isn’t very good either,” Troy tells me.
“Ouch. Way to call me out, bud.” Derek ruffles his hair as he comes up to us. “Maybe take it easy on Sutton, okay?”
“Troy can teach me after dinner. How does that sound?” I ask him.
“Okay!” His eyes are bright. “I’ll go tell Grandpa he can play too!”
“You’re too good to him,” Derek whispers to me.
“He makes it easy.”
“I’m serious. It makes me love you more because you love him.”
I wrap my arms around Derek. “Well, I love that you love my kid too.”
Before I can kiss Derek, his mom makes her entrance.
“Okay, none of this.” I pull back, laughing, to see her waving her hand to interrupt us.
“Sutton, it’s so good to see you.”
“Mom. Seriously?” Derek groans. “I feel like I’m in high school again. ”
“Then maybe next time don’t invite us over for Christmas.” Her eyes are playful when she turns to me. “I’m sorry Lydia couldn’t join us today. Troy is really excited to show her his new hockey game.”
“Me too, but I know she’s having fun with her dad.”
Tony waltzes into the living room with an apron draped over his front. “Well, we’ll miss her. But dinner is ready.”
“I’m hungry,” Troy chirps.
“Then let’s go.” Troy grabs my hand and leads me into the dining room.
The table is masterfully set. Candles are lit with wreaths of pine surrounding each one. Festive plates rest on red chargers. Gold reindeer sit in front of each plate with name place cards—handwritten by Troy from the looks of the messy writing.
“This looks delicious,” Derek says. “You outdid yourself, Dad.”
“Have to when it’s Christmas.” Tony takes off his apron and takes a seat next to his wife.
Trays are set out with chicken, veggies, potatoes, rolls, and cranberry sauce. Everything looks and smells delicious.
Dishes are passed around as we each take generous portions of everything. Dinner goes by in a blink with us mainly listening to Troy tell everyone about his new presents.
“I can’t wait to play hockey with Lydia. It was my favorite present,” Troy tells me, his face lit up with excitement.
“As soon as she comes back from her dad’s, I’ll bring her over so you two can play with it.”
“Yes!” He pumps his fist, sending a spray of mashed potatoes onto the table.
“At least you get along with your ex and have set times to see one another,” Patricia whispers.
“It makes it easy.”
“Something Missy wouldn’t know anything about.” Disdain drips from Patricia’s voice.
“Missy? Who’s Missy?” I ask. Everyone around me trades anxious glances. Everyone except Troy who is stuffing the last bit of his roll into his mouth.
“Troy, why don’t you go play with some of your new toys before bed?” Derek asks him.
“Can I still play hockey with Sutton?”
I nod at him. “Sure thing.”
He runs off without another word, pulling out a few things from under the tree.
“Okay, who is this Missy woman?” Mom asks as soon as Troy is out of earshot.
A pained expression washes over Derek’s face.
“She’s Troy’s mom.”
“What?” It’s hard to hide the shock in my voice. “I didn’t think she was around.”
Derek sips on his wine. “She wasn’t. Until this morning.”
“What’d she want?” I ask him.
“To see Troy.”
“Are you going to let her?”
Derek shrugs. “I need to talk to my lawyer. Figure out what I need to do.”
“I can’t believe she just showed up,” my mom interjects, “on Christmas of all days.”
It’s hard not to be surprised by this news. From everything Derek has told me about Troy’s mom, she has been out of the picture for at least the last year. Took the money Derek gave her and ran.
Even before then, she was always in and out of Troy’s life whenever she decided she wanted to be a mom. With my ex, at least he wanted to be a part of Lydia’s life. As much as I hated that things didn’t work out for us, I know he’s a good dad to her. He wants to be involved in her life.
I can’t imagine what Derek is going through right now. Poor Troy is the one that suffers the most with his mom going in and out of his life. I wouldn’t wish that on any child .
“Can I do anything to help?” I ask Derek as our parents have their own conversation about Missy.
Derek leans back in his chair, sipping on his wine. “If I knew what you could do, I’d tell you.”
I reach out and rest my hand on his thigh. “I’m sorry. I hate that it puts you in this position.”
He sighs. “And Troy. Is she going to stick around this time? Or will she only be here for a few weeks and then cut out again?”
“I’m ready for hockey!” Troy announces, running back into the living room.
“I think we’ll head out,” Tony says. “Let you two have the night together.”
“You don’t have to,” I tell him.
“Think I can get a ride home with you?” Mom asks them.
“Really, you don’t have to go,” I urge, but I’m ignored.
Everyone says good night to Troy, Derek, and me before heading out.
“They didn’t have to leave,” I tell Derek, who is laughing with Troy by his side.
“Parents. They never listen.” He’s shaking his head.
“Hockey time!” Troy rushes over to grab the two sticks and hands me one. “Stand in front of your goal and don’t let me score.”
“Okay.”
I bend down, holding the stick as best I can, and watch as Troy screws up his face before shooting the puck.
“Wow!” The small, Styrofoam puck breezes right by me and hits the back of the net. “That was amazing. Is this your first time?”
Using the stick, I fish the puck out of the back of the plastic net and send it back over to Troy.
He shakes his head and lets another one go by me again. “I’ve been playing all day. ”
“He’s really good,” I tell Derek. “I know it’s a play set, but he’s good.”
He is beaming at me like any proud parent would. “Must get his athletic ability from his dad.”
“Hopefully Lydia is good, because she’s not getting anything from me.” I laugh.
“We’ll play together and both be good,” Troy tells me.
“One more, Troy, then it’s time for bed,” Derek says.
“He shoots, he scores!” Troy yells as he sends one final puck into the back of the net.
“Great job, Troy!” I hold my hand out to him for a high five as Derek comes over to take Troy to bed.
“Can Sutton read a story with us?” Troy asks.
“Absolutely.”
As Derek and I put Troy to bed, there’s a sadness that washes over Derek. It’s easy to sense. No doubt he’s thinking of what Missy’s reappearance into his life could mean for moments like this. It’s hard not to.
When we shut the door to Troy’s room, Derek takes me in his arms. Holding me. Breathing me in.
I try to give him as much comfort as I can. “What can I do?”
I press my hand over Derek’s heart. I want him to know I’m here for him. Sure, my ex and I got divorced because he’s a cheating asshole, but at least he still cares about Lydia. I don’t know what I would do if he was in and out of my life.
“I want to get lost in you.”