15. Maeve
15
maeve
I’ve never once regretted divorcing Josh. We weren’t right for each other, and frankly, neither of us really wanted to get married; we just did it because we thought it was the right thing to do for Jayce.
That being said, every time I spend a holiday without Jayce, I hate that Josh and I weren’t right for each other. Because spending a holiday without your kiddo just fucking sucks.
Over the years, we’ve done a good job of making sure that neither one of us always gets the short end. We rotate Thanksgiving and Christmas each year, and because my son has an odd fascination with Easter, we decided to give him two of those. We figured it’s a different day each year, why not make two and give Jayce his favorite holiday twice.
It’s all about the Reese’s Eggs for that kid.
But this year is hitting me harder than before. I don’t know if there’s an exact reason why—if I was held under an interrogation lamp I’d probably say it’s a combination of a lot of things—but I do know that with each mile I get closer to Josh’s house, the more I hate that I’m about to spend the day without my son.
“Did you pack everything you need?” I ask. I always make sure to take care of any clothes he could need. And Josh has plenty at his house. But when it comes to toys, video games, and any other thing my child is fixating on this week, he’s the only one allowed to gather those items.
Except when he forgets them. Then I have to bring them to him.
“Yup!” he exclaims. “I have my blanket. And my video game. And my new action figure that Logan gave me. I can’t wait to show Daddy!”
The action figure he speaks of is a new acquisition as of yesterday—fresh from the extensive collection of one Logan Matthews. Having shopped for plenty of SpaceCraft toys over the years, it didn’t look familiar. That’s when I realized that it’s not familiar because it’s not sold in stores. This is a one-of-a-kind toy. And Logan gave it to my son, who insisted on sleeping with it last night.
Not now, ovaries…chill the fuck out.
I turn into Josh’s driveway and notice that there’s a new car parked outside the garage. I roll my eyes at the Mini Cooper, which I’m going on a limb to say is Vivian’s.
Also, I didn’t realize people still drove those? Especially in mint green…
Trying not to pay attention to it, or do the math of how much that likely cost my ex-husband, I get out of the car and grab Jayce’s things while he struggles to get out of his seatbelt because he refuses to let go of his new toy. Eventually he makes it out and we make our way to Josh’s front door.
“Happy Thanksgiving!” Josh says as he opens the door. “It’s cold, everyone come in.”
Really? He wants me to come in? That’s not normally how these drop-offs go. Usually it’s hey, how are you, bye.
“Daddy! Look!”
Jayce doesn’t even have his jacket or boots off yet before making sure he shows Josh his new action figure. “Wow! When did you get that?”
“Yesterday! Isn’t it so cool! I thought I had every toy from SpaceCraft, but this is new and I love it so much!”
“It is cool. Where’d you get it?”
“Logan gave it to me!”
Josh’s questioning glance turns to me. “Who’s Logan?”
Uh….
“Jayce, how about you go put your bag and things in your room?”
“Okay, Mommy!”
Without question, Jayce does as I ask, because bless my son’s heart, he’s oblivious to everything.
“Logan, huh? I seem to remember you giving me shit about Vivian when we started dating. And now you have a Logan I don’t know about? Funny how that comes around.”
I shake my head. “I don’t have a Logan. He’s a client. I had to take Jayce with me yesterday to his house that I’m currently decorating and they were playing SpaceCraft together. I didn’t even know he gave it to him until we were leaving.”
There. The truth. He doesn’t need to know exactly who my newest client is.
“Clients are just giving our kid toys now?”
“Why do you care? They hit it off,” I defend. “But enough about the toy. Why did you invite me in? I thought we had the weekend figured out?”
As if on cue, Vivian walks into the living room from the kitchen, doing her best impression of the perfect little housewife, apron and all. “Hi, Maeve.”
“Vivian,” I say evenly as I sit down on one of the chairs. Josh and Vivian sit across from me, and all of a sudden I feel like I’m part of some sort of intervention.
“Maeve,” Josh begins. “The reason we wanted to talk?—”
“Holy shit!”
I’m not even sorry I interrupted him with my outburst. It couldn’t wait. Because on Vivian’s hand is an obnoxiously big diamond, and another band underneath it.
And now that I actually look at Josh, I see a gold band on his hand as well.
“That’s what we wanted to talk to you about.” Josh and Vivian join hands. “We got married.”
“You did what ?” Not that I care. I don’t. My outburst isn’t because I’m still pining for my ex-husband. But when said ex gets remarried, I think the mother of his child is entitled to know before it happens. “When? Why? I’m very confused, because unless this happened yesterday, I feel like I should’ve been told.”
“I know it’s sudden,” Josh says before looking to his…wife? “But when you know, you know.”
No. You don’t. Josh and I are case in point. But I’m not getting into that debate right now. “Okay, when? Did you guys elope?”
Vivian nods. “Last week, we were lying in bed, and Josh said that he wished we could do this for the rest of our lives. I said I’d love nothing more. Next thing I knew we were picking out rings and making our way to the courthouse!”
“Congratulations?” I say, mustering up as much excitement as I can. Something feels off about it, but then again, it could just be the shock. “So is this trip…”
“A honeymoon of sorts,” Vivian says. “And we couldn’t imagine doing it without Jayce.”
Interesting. I didn’t think she even liked my kid, which is based on the fact that she’s rarely around when he’s here, according to Jayce.
“This is…well, it’s a lot to process,” I say. “Does Jayce know?”
They shake their heads. “No. We wanted to tell him today.”
“Okay, then…” I don’t know what else to say, so I stand up. “Do you need me to bring anything extra for the trip?”
Josh shakes his head as he and Vivian stand up, hand in hand. “We have everything. Thanks, Maeve. This means a lot to us.”
“You’re welcome.”
That’s all I can muster to say. I need to get out of here. My head is spinning, and I feel off my axis.
“Jayce! I’m taking off!” I call out. My baby comes running out of his room—action figure in hand—as he crashes into my arms for a hug.
“Bye, Mommy!”
“I love you,” I say, hugging him tighter. “If you need anything, or if you want to talk about anything, please call me, okay?”
“Okay,” he says, still oblivious to the tension in the air.
I start to walk out before Josh stops me. “He won’t need to call you. I can handle this.”
“I’m sure you can,” I say. “But that’s a big change, and kids don’t always handle change great.”
“I know my kid, Maeve.”
“I’m not saying you don’t. Just…be gentle.”
“I will,” he says. “See you tomorrow.”
I look over to Jayce one more time, who’s sitting in front of Vivian playing with his toy and her not paying one bit of attention to him because she’s pecking away at her phone. I straighten my shoulders and walk out the door.
As soon as I get to my car and crank it up I head for home, forcing myself not to peel out of Josh’s driveway.
Holy shit…he’s married? Like, what the hell? I don’t know what to think. I’m baffled and confused and need something to focus on so I don’t drive myself crazy.
I look at the clock and see that it’s just about one o’clock. My family is doing our formal Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, but for those of us who didn’t have plans, my mom is hosting dinner at six. But I know I can’t sit and stew at my house for the next five hours.
Which is how I end up pulling onto the freeway and driving south. Logan might not be the person I want to see today, with my mind going in all different directions, but working on his house might be just the trick.
“Maeve? What are you doing here?”
When I got the idea to come and work on Logan’s house, it was simply to keep my mind focused on something other than the fact my son now has a stepmother who can’t spell stepmother. I never thought I should call and announce myself. I have a gate code now to let myself in, and I have keys.
Except the keys he gave me are at my house, which I haven’t returned to. Which is why I needed to knock. And because Kat or one of the other members of the building crew have let me in every time I’m here, I never thought he’d be the one opening the door. Which is why I wasn’t prepared to be greeted by a shirtless Logan who’s wearing criminally low sweatpants.
Holy fuck that V….
“Hi,” I say, though I almost choke on the word. “I was…I thought I could come over and do some work.”
“Isn’t today a holiday?”
“It is. But I don’t have anything going on until this evening. And even that isn’t a formal thing. My family is doing Thanksgiving tomorrow, so I thought I could get some things done around here. That is, if it’s okay. I’m sorry. I should’ve called. It’s just that I’ve had a weird day, and I could use the distraction…”
I realize I’m rambling, which is a very not-like-me thing to do. I also notice Logan is smiling, which is never a good thing.
“Can I come in?” I ask. “It’s cold, and those curtains aren’t going to hang themselves. Unless you’re busy and you don’t want me around, then I can absolutely leave.”
“Come in,” he says, stepping out of the way so I can walk past. I try not to breathe in his woodsy body wash when I walk past him, but to no avail. “And you can work, but you need to promise me something first.”
I turn back to him as I slip off my jacket. “What’s that?”
“That you let me help you hang the curtains. And then after you’re done, you let me treat you to lunch.”
I shake my head. “You don’t need to do either of those things. One, buying me lunch is not in our contract. And I’m perfectly cap?—”
He holds his finger to my lip, which not only makes me stop talking, it makes me stop breathing.
“Those are the conditions. Take it or leave it, Love.”
There it is again. The name. The name I should scold him for using.
Emphasis on should.
Why can’t I? What kind of voodoo power does this man have over me? I’m going to blame my lack of response on the whirlwind of the day.
Yes. That’s why.
“Okay. But I’m only letting you hold the ladder and hand me things,” I say. “You’re my assistant, understand?”
He gives me a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am. At your service.”