Chapter 32
Chapter
Thirty-Two
ENFIELD
Chaos erupts as my mother loses her shit. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure why she’s so angry. She isn’t getting her way, but seriously, what is she losing here?
Control. That’s all I can think of. She’s losing her control over my life. All the strings are now cut. And they’re of her own doing, something she can’t fathom.
Once more, my parents leave the room. I can hear my father yelling at my mother as they move down the hall, and my mother is livid, yelling right back.
“Is that what their marriage looks like?” Nash murmurs.
I laugh. “No. I’ve never seen… anything like this before. It’s wild.”
Nash chuckles. “Unreal.”
“I’ve never seen a grown woman throw such a hissy fit,” Xavi’s mother says, shaking her head.
I get to my feet to stretch and make a stop at the little fridge. I pull out half a dozen waters and return to the table, handing them around before grabbing one more for myself. Xavi smiles at me as I retake my seat.
After drinking half my bottle and noticing Xavi hasn’t touched his cocoa or water, I open his water for him and put the bottle in his hands. He grins and takes a sip.
“You two look like you’re getting along,” his dad notes.
“We are,” I agree, but don’t offer anything else. Instead, I brace myself to watch my mother lose her mind when we present her with the second half of this meeting. Not going to lie, I know I said I was giddy going into this, but I’m beside myself with excitement for this next part.
Maybe because the future is looking better. I get what I want, and I have Xavi to share it with. Weird. I’ve never wanted that before, but somehow, I can’t imagine walking out of this room without him.
It’s a long time before my parents return. My father is still furious, but I don’t think it’s with the situation; I think it’s with my mother.
“Are we finished here?” my mother asks.
Nash gets to his feet and hands around another packet of paper as Avory taps away on his tablet. I think the plan was that once the new contract was distributed physically, he’d be sending over all electronic versions of everything discussed here today digitally, too.
“What’s this?” Patricia asks.
“A new contract,” Xavi says. “One of our own making.”
“Wait. You’re still getting married?!” Mom demands. “After all that, you’re still going through with this? So what was the point?”
“Besides seeing you melt down?” I ask, earning myself a scathing look from my mother.
“If you were listening to what Xavi just said, it’s a contract of our own making.
Our own terms. Erasing all the bullshit that we made clear we didn’t want and that neither set of parents was willing to eliminate from the contract. ”
“It includes Enfield’s children as both of their heirs, acknowledging them not just as Undergrove family but as Adair heirs as well. Xavi will hold legal obligations and relationships toward them, and likewise, naming them Adair heirs as well,” Nash says.
Mom shakes her head. “That’s not—”
“It’s not up for discussion,” I snap, and my mother looks at me, clearly surprised by my tone.
“You should just skip to section eighteen because that’s what’s truly going to piss you off.
” As everyone turns the pages, I continue to talk.
“You, as in my mother and father, are cut from our lives. Every single part of our lives. We are cutting ties entirely. You are never to contact me again, or I will continue to press charges for harassment. You are never to step foot on my property, or I will have you arrested for trespassing. You will not contact my husband. You will have no contact with my children, which should suit you fine since you’re shit people and have refused to acknowledge my kids already. ”
My mother is shaking her head. “I’m not signing it.”
“Then you will never see us again. Period,” I say.
“This allows you the right to be in the same vicinity as us for Christmas at the Holt gathering. Once a year for ten days. You don’t sign, we will vanish into the night, and none of you will see us again.
Your decision isn’t just affecting you, Mother, but also Xavi’s parents. ”
“What?” Patricia says.
“We’re not included in this section,” Paul says.
“You’re not,” Xavi agrees. “I want you in my life. But as much as I want you in our lives, our peace is just too big, and we’ll never have peace with Enfield’s parents having full access to us. So…”
I grip his hand when he can’t continue. I know he didn’t like this part, but I also know that with the pressure his parents will put on mine, and that my father will demand that they sign the contract to keep some access to me, my parents will sign.
But this ultimatum is hurtful. I know that.
“You’re signing this, Betty,” Patricia says.
“I most certainly won’t.”
“You will!” Paul yells. “This entire thing is your fault. Every fucking line of bullshit that we just listened to is your fault. I won’t lose my son because of you.
You’re going to sign this, or we’re taking you to court, and so help me God, I will make your life a living hell and drown you in lawsuits. ”
“She’ll sign it,” Dad says.
“No—”
“I’m not giving you a choice,” Dad says. “You don’t sign, and we’re getting a divorce.”
Mom looks horrified. Tears fill her eyes. Her mouth works as she tries to get words out. My father holds her eyes for a minute before turning his gaze on me.
“I’m sorry. I hope we can move to a point where you’ll accept my apology and welcome me into your life again.”
“Thirteen years,” I say. “You’ve made me miserable for thirteen years. For at least the next thirteen years, the answer is no. We’ll see how I’m feeling after that.”
Dad bows his head.
A beat passes before Nash continues where I left off.
“You will not interfere with any part of their lives at all.
You will not call them. You will not email them.
You will not message them on social media.
You will not show up at family gatherings that they host without express invitation in writing.
“When I refer to ‘their children,’ this refers to Ronan John Undergrove, Lissander Mariano Undergrove, and Theodora Evelyn Undergrove. You will not go near their children. You will not contact their children. You will not show up at their children’s school.
You will not drop in at any of your family members’ houses when their children are there.
During the holidays at the Holt gathering, you will not treat their children maliciously.
You will not glare at them. You will not speak to them.
You will also not act as if they do not exist.”
I interrupt to add, “They are my family. But you’ve been right all along, Mom. They’re not your family. You will regard them as someone else’s kids—stranger’s kids on a playground. You will be pleasant, but you will not go near them.”
“Do you think our family will allow them—”
“I’ve already spoken to Rice, and he’s relayed that his parents are excited to include my children. You are the only person who has regarded my children as a plague,” I say.
She presses her lips together as Nash continues.
“Their children are heirs and entitled to all the rights and privileges that come with being Adair and Undergrove heirs. They will not be subject to contract marriages unless they express their interest.”
Avory nods. “This house will turn over to Xavi upon their marriage. The house in Napa Valley will turn over to Enfield upon their marriage. Neither family will have entitlement to drop in without express invitation or an arrangement otherwise.
“Ryan and Betty Undergrove will not attend their wedding and will not drop in on their wedding. There will be lawsuits if such an occurrence happens,” Avory states.
Mom wipes her cheeks, and I think she’s crying, though her face is pointed down at the table as she listens.
Avory and Nash take turns going over the details of the contract. Mom doesn’t speak again. When they’re finished, Nash offers Xavi’s parents a pen, and they sign six copies immediately.
Patricia hands my mom the pen, but she doesn’t take it. Dad does and signs before forcing the documents and demands that my mother do the same. She hesitates. She looks up at me, meeting my eyes with tears filling hers.
“This is really what you want, Enfield?”
“Yes,” I say without pause.
“I’ve really been that bad of a mother?”
“Over the last thirteen years, yes,” I answer.
She closes her eyes and looks down. Her hand shakes, but after a minute, she signs all six copies. Avory takes the contracts.
“I’ll have these notarized, and you’ll receive digital copies as well as physical copies within the next week,” Avory says.
I wait for the moment when I feel bad. Part of me expects to feel guilty. I’m not a bad person. I’m not a mean person. And this feels decidedly mean. It feels like I’m doing this intending to hurt her.
I’m not. Not really. It truly is about bringing me peace.
Every time I see her, I’m angry, and I’m so tired of being angry.
And truthfully, her complete disregard makes me fearful of how she’d treat my children.
She’s made it adamantly clear that my children don’t matter to her.
They’re less than important. They’re already strangers’ kids on the playground.
For the good of my kids at the very least, she has no place in my life. Period.
“Mr. and Mrs. Adair, you’re welcome to leave if you’d like,” Nash says.
Xavi’s parents look between us and then at their lawyer. Bethany nods.
“Do you mind if we wait outside?” Paul asks. “We’d like to visit.”
Xavi looks at me, and I think he wants to, so I nod. “Yes. We’ll be out momentarily.”
Both parents incline their heads, and we’re given smiles. Bethany smiles as well. I imagine that she’ll be staying to speak with the other attorneys after this last task.
Once they’ve left the room, Officer Fellagh shuts the door. Nash hands my parents and Jason Clements the last document.
“My client is suing Mr. and Mrs. Undergrove for the illegal use of his funds for a wedding that he didn’t approve of. Not only will all funds be restored, but we’re suing for damages as well,” Nash says.
My mother’s jaw drops. “You haven’t punished me enough today, Enfield?”
“You illegally spent his money,” my father answers before I can. “What were you thinking?”
“It was his wedding! That he didn’t even show up for,” Mom says a little hysterically.
“To be fair, we didn’t even know about it,” Xavi says, shrugging. “You can’t honestly expect us to show up for a wedding we didn’t know about.”
“He wouldn’t answer his phone!” Mom screeches.
“There’s no need to sue,” Dad says. “I’ll make sure your money is restored, as well as whatever damages you’re requesting. But if you prefer to sue us, then I understand.”
I look at Nash, and while I kind of want to continue with the lawsuit, I’m feeling that moment of softness that I’d been expecting to creep in all afternoon. It’s on the coattails of my exhaustion from this entire thing.
“Nash can handle it,” I say, shrugging. “If all the terms are met, I don’t care one way or the other.”
My dad inclines his head. “I understand. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize… how out of hand this had gotten.”
“You’ll have to forgive me if I’m not willing to accept your apology. Even if it was Mom who spearheaded these entirely miserable thirteen years of my life, your complacency allowed it to happen. I’m not ready to forgive you, and I can’t promise that I’ll ever be ready to forgive you.”
Dad nods. He looks sad. I turn away so I don’t have to see it. I won’t feel bad. So I can push that momentary softness away, I think about their disregard for my kids and remind myself why I’ll always be angry at my parents.
“That’s all,” Nash says and gets to his feet. I remain seated. Xavi starts to get up, but then sits again when I don’t get up. Avory stands as well, and that’s the cue for my parents and Jason to get up.
“Officer Fellagh will escort you off the property,” Nash says. “Thank you for attending this meeting.”
I can feel my mother staring at me, but I don’t give her the satisfaction of even meeting her eyes. I watch Xavi instead.
“Do you mind if we continue to use the room for a time?” Avory asks.
Xavi and I get to our feet now. “Not at all,” Xavi says. “Did your family’s lawyer stay?” he asks me.
Perhaps he heard him, because Jason steps back into the room. “I did. I hope that’s okay, Mr. Adair.”
“Yes, of course. I think Ms. Wright is still here, too. I’ll go see.”
Xavi takes my hand, and together, we leave the room. We find his parents and their family attorney in a nearby den. “They’re meeting in the room and request you to join them,” Xavi tells Bethany.
She inclines her head. “Thank you.”
That leaves us alone with Xavi’s parents. I’m honestly not sure how this is going to go. A minute passes as we stare at each other. Xavi’s hand in mine gets tighter and tighter as the seconds tick by.
Eventually, Patricia gets to her feet and approaches. Xavi sighs and accepts a long hug from his mother.
“Thank you for not pushing us out of your life,” she murmurs. Her eyes are on me.
“We never wanted to,” I assure her.
When she pulls back from her son, she faces me. “I’d like to be a part of your life. I hope you’ll let me be a part of your kids’ lives as well—once I’ve gained your trust.”
Xavi leans into my side, resting his head against my shoulder. I wrap an arm around his waist and nod. “They need grandparents,” I say. “I’d like that.”
“Will you tell us about them?” she asks.
I don’t expect to choke up. A well of emotion surges in my chest, and the lights in the room get long as tears fill my eyes. I have to look away to collect myself.
Goddamn. I knew that it hurt when my parents wanted nothing to do with my kids, but I wasn’t expecting how much it would mean to me that Xavi’s parents want to be in their lives.
It makes a fresh wave of anger rush through me toward my parents.
My kids are their own flesh and blood, and they’ve written them off.
These two don’t know me from Jim Bob, and already they want to embrace my kids as their own grandkids.
It only emphasizes that I’ve made the right decision in making sure my parents remain far from my kids.
“Yes,” I answer after I’m sure my voice will remain steady. “I’d like that.”