Fallon #2
We went through the motions for so many years until it came to a boiling point. The divorce was relatively quick and entirely amicable. Neither of us played the blame game. There was nothing to be gained by it. The marriage was dead, but we still had Harper to consider.
He recognized my sanity was hanging by a thread and shockingly agreed to move his entire business to my hometown, Philadelphia. He bought me a beautiful house near his, and we’ve peacefully co-parented for six years. We rarely argue, seeing eye to eye on most things involving Harper.
The crazy thing is, the divorce forced him to become a better father.
He may only have Harper half the time, but when he’s with her, he’s really with her.
He adores her, and they have an amazing relationship.
If breaking my heart was what was needed for Harper to gain the father she deserves, then it was worth all my pain and suffering.
She’s a happy, loved, and thriving little girl.
I’m brought back to the present by the other people sitting in Tanner’s hospital room.
Cheetah has been here consoling Bailey’s identical twin sister, Kamryn, who is also a professional softball player.
While Kamryn did help Bailey coach Harper’s softball team this past spring, I’ve barely ever spoken a word to her.
But for hours tonight, I’ve listened to her belittle Tanner and talk about how it should be him with the broken back instead of Bailey.
I’ve tried to have compassion for what she’s going through, but she’s driving me crazy.
I’m quickly learning how opposite she is in personality from her sister.
Finally, in the middle of the night, Tanner wakes. He blinks a few times, taking in his surroundings before looking at me and immediately asking for Bailey.
I can’t help the small amount of pain that takes hold of my heart. He loves her in a way he never loved me. He’s capable of loving—he just didn’t love me that way. I had convinced myself he wasn’t able, but I was wrong. He’s able to love for the right woman.
Before I can get in a word, Kamryn begins screaming at him and hurling insults. I’ve reached my boiling point with this bitch.
“Enough, Kamryn,” I bark out in frustration and exhaustion. “It was an accident. He’s injured too. Give him a minute. Why are you so fucking accusatory? Do you honestly think he did this on purpose?”
She tries to talk, but I shut her down, sick of her loud, obnoxious mouth.
“I’ve sat here for two hours listening to you bash him. E-fucking-nough. Just shut your mouth. I can’t listen to you bitch and whine anymore. It doesn’t help anyone, especially Bailey.”
Cheetah and their other friends realize they need to remove Kamryn from this room before things escalate further. Despite Tanner’s injuries and concern over Bailey, he instructs them to get me a Snickers bar, my favorite candy, on their way out.
My sour mood tempers a bit. He’s in the hospital, and he doesn’t know how bad Bailey’s injuries are yet, but he’s still looking out for me in his own small, special way.
People often question how we can be so amicable.
How we still sit together at all of Harper’s games and school activities.
How we spend holidays together and often have family dinners together.
This is why. Maybe we’re not husband and wife anymore, but we still care deeply about each other.
I will always be there for him, and I know for a fact he will always be there for me.
We spend the next thirty minutes with me bringing him up to date on everything that has gone on.
I tell him about his concussion, but he’s only concerned for Bailey.
I have to break it to him that she fractured her spine but immediately reassure him that with a lot of physical therapy, she should be able to walk again.
It will just take a little time and a lot of hard work.
She’s a professional athlete in tiptop physical shape. If anyone can do it, she can.
I also have to break it to him that she lost an ovary but will likely still be able to have kids. He gets extremely emotional over it. He knows how much having kids means to Bailey. Hell, it’s why he plans to reverse his vasectomy. He wants to be the one to give them to her.
After the nurse examines him and tells him to stay off his phone and computer for the foreseeable future, we talk in more detail about what the next few months will look like for Bailey. This is my area of expertise. I’m extremely familiar with what it will entail.
After absorbing my words, he goes straight into domineering mode. It’s probably one of the things I was most attracted to about him. He’s a real man. He acts like a man and takes charge like one.
He doesn’t want her in a cold rehab facility surrounded by strangers while she’s navigating what will be an emotionally and physically taxing time.
He has a two-thousand-square-foot gym in his house.
He asks me to buy all the equipment she’ll need for her rehab.
I have the credit card he gave me to use for all of Harper’s expenses, which he insists on paying despite also giving me child support.
He suggests I use that to buy what’s needed.
He doesn’t care that it will probably cost nearly a million dollars.
He wants her rehab to happen in the warmth and familiarity of his house.
He wants her in a real bed, not a hospital bed.
He then asks the most ridiculous thing that has ever been asked of me.
He wants me to take a leave of absence from my job, move in with him, and help aid in Bailey’s rehabilitation.
He said he only trusts me with her care.
What’s worse is that he knows Kamryn will want to move in to help too and doesn’t bother to put up a fight over it. Whatever’s best for Bailey.
I’m flabbergasted. I stare at him in disbelief.
“To be clear, you’re asking me to move in with you, my ex-husband, so I can help our daughter’s nanny, who’s your lover, and I need to take a leave of absence from a job that I love?
Add in the fact that your lover’s batshit crazy sister will also be there.
Oh, and I have to handle all the logistics because you’re not allowed on the phone or a computer right now? ”
As if the absurdity of it all is just hitting him, he smiles for the first time since he woke up before nodding in an exaggerated fashion. “Correct.”
I must be delusional, likely because it’s four in the morning and I haven’t slept, but I can’t seem to say no to him while he’s in this condition. And that’s how I end up living with my ex-husband, his girlfriend, and her lunatic sister.