30. Chapter Twenty-Nine
Her whole body felt numb as she stared at the empty spot where the lawyers car used to be. Why hadn’t her lawyer told her about her ex-husband owning the house? What else had he not told her? Had Donald actually signed the paperwork saying he didn’t want any parental rights to Eleanor?
There were so many things going through her head, and she didn’t know what to believe. She didn’t know how to feel either. It was all getting too overwhelming, and she just wanted to shut down and not think about any of it. But she couldn’t do that. She was the adult and had to figure everything out.
What was she going to do? She had three days to gather everything she could and move out. Where were they going to move? How was she going to tell Eleanor that they had to move? And no longer had a house.
The market to buy or rent houses sucked. Everything was too high and pricey. And even though she could afford several things, that didn’t mean she was going to get them. It seemed like anytime a house went on the market that it got snatched up before anybody could do anything.
She hadn’t been really looking, but every once in a while she would check to see. She wanted to keep her options opened in case she had to move. But there was nothing for her to buy or even attempt to buy.
Were they going to have to live in a motel? Or a hotel? She didn’t want that for Eleanor. She didn’t want any of this for Eleanor, but she didn’t know what else to do. There was nothing else to do.
Janie didn’t want to couch surf right now. It wasn’t fair to any of her friends because she had no clue when she was going to find something. They would be more than happy to allow Eleanor and her to stay with them, but it wasn’t good for Eleanor. It wasn’t good for her either.
She was numb as she continued to stare where the car used to be. This was not going her way. She should have known that something was going to happen. It had been calm, well, besides her ex-husband texting her a lot. She’d always heard about the calm before the storm.
She was no in the middle of the storm.
Tears formed in her eyes as she tried to wrap her mind around everything. She was a single mom who had to work, and now she was being booted from the house she had lived in for years. Where she had watched Eleanor take her first steps, speak her first words, and so many other memories.
She knew at some point this was going to happen, but Janie didn’t think it was going to be in three days. She thought she had several more years. Several more years to wrap her mind around, moving and leaving all the memories behind.
Sure, there were memories of her ex-husband in the house, but most of them had been forgotten as Eleanor and Janie had made memories. Now Donald was taking away the house because it was in his name.
Maybe she could ask him if he could sell it to her. She had no clue if he would actually do that but it was worth a try. But she needed to weigh the pros and cons. Were there more pros than cons for staying in the house? No doubt she was going to have to spend most of her savings to buy it or even take out a loan.
“Pinky?” Mac called out her name.
She still continued to stare at where the car used to be. This was all a dream. Oh well, more like a nightmare. Maybe it was a nightmare she was going to wake up from. But she highly doubted that. It seemed real, too real.
“Janie? Can you look at Daddy?” Mac asked.
Her eyes slowly moved towards his. She blinked, and the tears slid down her face. What was she going to do?
“Everything is going to be okay,” Mac said. “Everything is going to be okay. You guys can move into my house for the time being. Until you find something that you want to move into. Some place you want to permanently stay in, but you guys aren’t staying in a hotel.”
She blinked several times as she registered his words. Did he really just say that? There was absolutely no way she was going to do that. Jeanie had told herself that she wasn’t going to get involved with Mac. There was no way they were going to stay with him. That was one way for her to get used to him and fall even harder than she already had. They were going to stay in a motel or a hotel and that was it.
“No,” she said. “I can’t do that. We can’t do that.”
“Why not?” He asked.
Did he really not know why? Was he messing with her or was he genuinely curious? She didn’t know how to respond to him.
“Why can’t you two move in with me?” he asked. “I have the space for both of you. You’ve seen my house and I have plenty of room. I want you two there. I wouldn’t have offered it if I didn’t mean it.”
“Mama!” Eleanor yelled.
Janie leaned into Mac even more and sighed. This was not going to be an easy task.
“Everything is going to be okay. Please move in with me for at least a little bit of time while you figure everything out,” Mac said. “I don’t want you staying in a hotel when I’ve got plenty of space for you guys to stay with me.”
She shook her head. “I can’t do that,” she whispered.
“Why not?” he asked as he cupped her face with his hands.
She couldn’t help herself as she leaned into his hand. She loved it when he cupped her face like that. It made her feel safe and comfortable.
“Pinky,” Mac said. “Why not?”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in before she pulled away from Mac. She didn’t know if she could do it right now.
“Please, tell me,” he whispered.
Eleanor grabbed onto her pant leg and Janie picked her up. Maybe this would be the buffer she needed right now.
“You’re not getting away with not telling me,” Mac said. “There is no reason why you shouldn’t stay with me until you at least find some place more permanent than a hotel.”
She sighed and knew he was right. There really wasn’t a good reason for her not to stay with him. “I just don’t know if I can,” she whispered.
“What’s holding you back?” he asked.
“A lot of things.” She hoped he wouldn’t ask what they were. That he would give up and not push it any further. But she should have known it was wishful thinking.
“Like that? I really want to know so I can help.”
Janie looked down at her feet. Eleanor had started to play with her hair, giving her a brief distraction. “I just don’t know if my heart can take it,” she whispered. “I don’t know if it’s the wisest thing for us.”
“I think it is. I think it’ll help us grow closer,” Mac said. “We both feel the attraction towards each other.” Janie shook her head. “Don’t lie to me. I know you do and I can see it in your eyes. We both feel the attraction. Why are you fighting it?”
“Because you shouldn’t want me.” How did he not see that?
Mac stared at her with his mouth slightly open. “What did you just say?”
She shook her head. She wasn’t going to say it again. “I can’t do this right now. I’ve got to go through things and pack what I need.”
Every second was precious right now. She only had three days to really think about what she needed and could stay in a hotel. She wouldn’t be able to take much with her.
“Okay, we’ll have this conversation soon though. I’ll remember,” Mac said and Janie knew he would bring it up again. “You’re staying with me until you figure out something more permanent than staying in a hotel.”
Janie opened her mouth, ready to argue when Mac put his hand over her mouth.
“You’re not fighting me on this. It is this or I’ll spank your bottom and you two will be staying with me. Either way.”
She licked his hand and he took it away. “That isn’t much of a choice.”
“Hot bottom and staying with me or no hot bottom and you’re staying with me,” Mac said. “Either way, you’re staying with me. And licking my hand was naughty.”
She rolled her eyes and sighed. He wasn’t going to let this go.
“I’m going easy on you right now. Roll your eyes again and it’ll be a mark in your book,” Mac said.
Her eyes went wide. “Mark in my book?! What book?”
“The book I keep to track your naughtiness, your punishments you’re owed,” he replied.
Her mouth was hung open as she stared at him. He kept a book for that?
“No,” she softly said. “You can’t do that.”
“I did and I am. Now, which one have you decided?”
Janie knew which option she was going to pick. She didn’t want to get a spanking.
“Okay,” she whispered.
“I’ll watch over Eleanor as you message your authors about what’s happening,” Mac said.
Janie nodded her head. She did need to tell her authors that she wouldn’t be able to do anything for a couple of days. Or nothing hard core. She was going to have to go through all of her stuff at some point, find a new house, and move.
“Everything is going to be okay,” he said.
“You don’t know that,” she whispered. “How do you know that?”
“Because I do. I’m going to make sure everything is okay.”
Part of her believed him. He had done it before, what was to stop him from doing it this time?
“Now, why don’t you go message your authors and then we can look through some things,” Mac said.
She stared at him and nodded her head. This was becoming all too real. Janie slowly walked towards her office, trying to figure everything out in her head before she got there. But it was hard.
Janie walked into her office and towards her computer. How was she going to write this email? Would they understand? She stared at her computer, tears blurring her eyes as she stared at it.
Everything was crashing down on her as she thought about everything. It was all becoming too real. There were so many memories in this house with Eleanor. Her taking her first steps, speaking her first word, trying new foods, and so much more.
She wasn’t ready to move out of this house yet. There were so many more memories to be made here. She didn’t want those memories to be made in a hotel or a place that was going to be temporary.
“Pinky,” Mac said as he walked in with Eleanor in his arms. “Everything is going to be okay. We’re going to get through this.”
“I don’t know,” she whispered. “I really don’t know how I’m going to get through this.”
Mac wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his side. She gripped onto his shirt.
“I’m going to help you through it. We’re going to do it together. There is no need for you to do this alone,” he said. “We’re here for each other. You need anything, you let me know. You need to cry, talk, vent, or just need a hug. You let me know and I’ll help you through this.”
She continued to stare at her computer in a daze as tears ran down her face.
“It’s not going to be easy, but you’re going to get through this,” Mac gently said. “You just need to communicate what you need from me. I’m not a mind reader.”
Sometimes she wished he was. It would make things a whole lot easier on her. It was a struggle for her to ask for things. He knew that when she knew that.
“Lets get you to email your author. Then Ill hold you for as long as you need and then well get to looking around the house,” Mac said. “You can place as much as you need in my house. Ive got space.”
She nodded her head and walked over to her computer. She knew for certain that she was going to need her computer and book where she has all her information. Janie was going to need Eleanors things as well. Some of her clothes, toys, basically everything.
Janie quickly sent an email to her authors explaining that she was going to be out for a couple of days as she moved. Later on she would tell them the whole scenario. While she was paid by them, Janie was also great friends with them. They had a group chat together where they talked about everything and anything. It was nice.
“Come on,” Mac said. “Let me hold both of you for a couple of minutes. Then we can get started on everything.”
She nodded her head and walked over towards him. She loved the feeling of his arms being wrapped around her. It made her feel safe and comfortable. Like she could do anything in the world with him right next to her. And that worried her.