Chapter 15
fifteen
Tristyn
Ithought Uncle Vince was picking me up today.”
“I got out of work early. Wanted to spend time with my favorite boy instead.”
“Can we still go to that diner?”
“Of course we can. And Uncle Vince is still going to meet us there.”
“Cool.”
I grab his equipment and put it in the trunk while he gets into the car.
When I get into the driver's seat, I start the car and put it in drive.
“How was practice?”
“Good. We have a new coach, he’s really cool.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, he’s in a wheelchair.” He opens up a pack of donuts and shoves one in his mouth. “A lot of other kids wouldn’t stop asking him questions, but he actually helped us out a lot.”
The guy. The one I saw outside of PT, then again outside of the rec center today… He’s Henry’s new coach.
I mean, of course, he is. He has to be.
My life can’t get any more complicated. Let’s throw this guy in my direction.
“I’m glad you like him.”
“He told me I’m really good.”
“Well, now I like him.”
He probably tells all of the kids that. Isn’t that usually how it works? But even if he does, it’s nice seeing Henry’s face light up when he talks about it.
“That I’m better than he was at my age.”
“Doesn’t surprise me, baby. You’ve got a natural talent.”
“I guess.”
“You’re liking it though, right? I don’t want you to feel like you have to keep playing if it’s not something you want to do.”
“I do like it. I really like it. It’s fun getting to hang out with Damian and Luis and not get in trouble for talking like we would in school.”
I chuckle.
“Good. That makes me really happy, baby.”
I smile at him through the rearview mirror, and then the screen on my phone lights up—
Andrew.
What the fuck does he want?
“Is that dad?”
Henry’s eyes find my phone, and I force a smile.
“Probably just wanted to see how your day was going.”
“Don’t pick it up.”
“I’m not. I promise. I’ll call him back later.”
Henry doesn’t understand a lot about my relationship with his father, but he knows that I’m here to support whatever relationship he wants with him.
He also understands that I can’t control whether or not he has to see his dad. Thankfully, Andrew doesn’t put a lot of effort into seeing Henry.
I used to hate that. I used to feel guilty, like I was preventing my son from having his dad in his life, but it didn’t take me long to realize all I was doing was protecting him. And I’ll keep doing that to the best of my ability.
I decline the call.
“I think your good day calls for celebratory milkshakes.” He looks back up at the rearview mirror.
“Mama, you read my mind.”
What are you doing here?” I don’t look at Andrew as I make my way to my car.
“You haven’t been answering my calls.”
I want to scream in his face that usually when someone is ignoring your calls, they hope you get the idea, but I don’t want to damage an already fucked up relationship.
“I’ve been busy.”
“With what?”
“Work. Henry.”
“And you couldn’t spare me a five-minute phone call.”
“Andrew, I really don’t have this in me today. Can you please just tell me what’s so important that you have to show up outside of my work?”
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking recently,” it takes everything in me not to visibly roll my eyes, “and I think Henry deserves to have his parents together.”
“And I think Henry deserves to be raised in a healthy environment. One I know we can’t provide together.” I unlock my car and throw my bag into the back seat. “We’ve been down this road before, Andrew, a few times, and where did that get us?”
I’ll tell you where it got me—
Physical therapy.
“Well, this time next year, I’ll be moving to New York City, and things will be different. My parents won’t be around to have an input on our lives, and we can be the family we always should’ve been.”
“Your parents weren’t the issue, Andrew.”
In some ways, they were, sure. They were part of the huge shift in his character, but not all our problems stemmed from them.
As much as I used to defend Andrew and tell everyone that his parents were ruining our relationship, it was never going to work out.
And I’m not going to put my son in the middle of this.
“Let me prove to you I’m serious.”
“I’m not putting Henry through us trying to make it work.”
I know it won’t. It never does.
“Then I want to see him more often. Every weekend, I think Henry should be with me.”
I stand up straighter, crossing my arms as I look at him.
“That’s not going to happen.”
“We both know I can make it happen. Hell, I could take you to court, and it could be a whole lot more than just the weekends.”
“You wouldn’t.”
My mouth feels dry as the words leave because I know he would. He hasn’t brought up taking Henry from me in ages. It was something he used to hold over my head once Henry was born.
He has money I don’t have, lawyers I could never afford, and a support system.
Sure, I’m Henry’s mother, but look at my financials, and they could come up with a solid argument that they could provide for him in a way I couldn’t.
“I would, Tristyn. You know I would. I’m just asking that you give this some solid thought.”
“I just want what’s best for Henry.” My words are barely a whisper.
I hate this. I hate the small version of myself I tend to become when he’s around.
“So, do I. And maybe, just maybe, you’re not it.”
His hand lands softly on my shoulder as he gives it a harder-than-necessary squeeze.
The look on his face burns in my mind, the narcissistic smirk. The kind of smirk that says he knows he’s going to get everything he wants.
“I’ll be seeing you.”