Chapter 19 #2
“Donny is hot,” Gabby agreed. “But so’s Mom. The laws of nature definitely put them together because their hotness quota is fifty-fifty. Oh my God,” she suddenly exclaimed. “Can we go to Rebel and Roots? Their stuff is rad, oh, and that vintage place on North Front Street?”
“We’ll hit the boutiques in town, then head over to the Japanese Steak House at the mall. After that, we can do T.J. Maxx,” I promised.
DJ grabbed his cell. “I’ll call Donovan now.”
The kids started chatting excitedly, all thoughts of their dad and his bullshit suddenly forgotten.
It was a relief that they seemed well-adjusted to what was happening. They’d both taken everything in their stride—which was great—but a tiny part of me knew it would backfire on me.
Evan expected the kids to mind him even though he was in the wrong. He was old school when it came to his children and was of the opinion that kids should always obey their parents, particularly their fathers.
My parenting style was different. I loved having a friendship with my kids, and I cultivated an environment where they knew they could come to me about anything.
I told them frequently that there was nothing they could do that would ever stop me from loving them, and they knew I’d always have their backs.
However, I was still the parent, and apart from DJ’s cussing, they respected me and listened when I told them to do something. They were good kids, and I loved them more than life, and if Evan had played ball, I would have happily sacrificed my own pride for them to have a relationship with him.
But what I wouldn’t sacrifice was Gabby and DJ's pride or the way they thought about themselves. The second Rachel hurt Gabby, my gloves came off, and the fight turned dirty. I just hoped that Kennedy’s PI and Colt could find enough to help me, because giving up my kids was not an option.
My ex-husband was crazy if he thought I wouldn’t go down kicking and scratching, because when it came to protecting my kids, I’d fight to the death, even if that fight was against their own father.
—————
“You’re so pretty,” I crooned. “Who’s the prettiest little baby in the whole wide world?”
Imogen beamed up at me from my kitchen counter and yelled, “Gaga!”
Gabby giggled from beside me and corrected, “No. You are. Imogen’s the prettiest baby girl.”
Immie slapped her chest and squealed.
“Who’s the most handsome boy, Immie?” I babbled in a baby voice. “Say Dada. Dada.”
She gave me a beautiful toothy grin and shouted, “Wawa!”
Gabby burst out laughing. “We’d better not tell Donovan that Imogen thinks Wilder’s more handsome than him.”
I gave her big eyes and nodded. “It would break Donovan’s heart so bad he wouldn’t be able to eat his Chinese takeout.”
Gabby shrugged. “More for us, I guess.”
My lips twitched. “True.”
The front door slammed, and I heard the murmured voices of Donovan and DJ.
“Yay!” Gabby cried softly. “I’m starving.”
I craned my neck toward the kitchen door to see Donovan and DJ saunter through carrying a shit load of Chinese takeout bags with Lucky Dragon printed on them.
“That was quick,” I commented, motioning to Gabby to keep a safe hold of Imogen so she didn’t topple off the worktop where she sat.
“No traffic this time of night,” Donovan informed me, dumping his takeout bags next to DJ’s on the kitchen table and smiling at Imogen, who already had her arms stretched out toward him.
“Hey, baby girl. Have you been good for Rosie?” He sauntered toward her and lifted her with both hands, throwing her into the air.
Imogen let out a loud shriek, followed by a burst of baby giggles as Donovan repeated the action before catching her and securely balancing her on his hip. He walked toward me and planted a kiss on my mouth before asking, “Need me to get anything?”
I reached into the cupboard and brought out a stack of plates. “No. I’m just going to warm these and we’ll be set.” My gaze went to Imogen, and I ran a hand over her blonde hair. “You looking forward to your first Chinese takeout, Imogen?”
“Chacha,” she replied sweetly.”
Gabby giggled again. “We still can’t get her to say Dada. We’ve been trying all the time you’ve been gone.”
Donovan looked down at his daughter and deadpanned. “She’s yanking my chain now, aren’t you, kid?”
Imogen looked up at her dad and grinned until her dimple popped out before screeching, “Rara.”
His eyes lifted to the ceiling, and he sighed loudly as I heard his cell phone beep.
I held my arms out to allow him to transfer Imogen into them, then waited while he checked his messages. “Colt,” he announced, his mouth getting tight. “Nothing yet.”
I bounced Imogen on my hip. “I was sure they’d find something by now.”
“What’s that?” DJ asked.
My heart jerked as I watched him approach us. “Nothing, Son. It’s not for you to worry about.”
His stare narrowed. “Has it got something to do with Dad?”
I glanced at Donovan, our eyes conversing without words.
It was hard to find the right balance between honesty and keeping my kids from growing up jaded and hating their father.
As much as they had a right to know what was going down, I also didn’t think it was healthy for them to be too involved, especially when it came to all the cloak-and-dagger bullshit.
“You know your dad hired someone to follow us?” I asked. “That’s what we’re talking about.”
“Okayyy,” he said, drawing the word out. “But what’s that gotta do with finding something?”
Donovan dipped his chin to look at DJ. “Kennedy and I decided that we needed to play your dad at his own game, but that’s not something you or Gabby should be involved in.
It would be disrespectful to you and her, and there’s no way we want you picking sides between your dad and us. We’ve got this.”
DJ cocked his head. “No offense, Donovan, but it doesn’t look like you’ve got this at all, seeing as my mom’s worried and Dad’s a slippery SOB.
As for involving us—well, we’re already involved.
We’re the reason that you and Mom have got beef with Dad in the first place, so whether we like it or not, we’re in this. ”
“Deej is right,” Gabby called over.
“We don’t care if you nail him doing something he shouldn’t,” DJ continued. “We don’t want to move to Idado with him and Rachel the bitch, and we really don’t want you to have to go to the courts and fight for us. It’ll be expensive, right?”
“You let me worry about that,” I told him.
“We’re a family,” he protested. “Your worries are our worries.” He pulled his phone out and clicked on it. It rang a few times before a voice greeted, “Yo. DJ. How’s tricks?”
“Wyoming eats, thanks, Josh,” DJ replied. “Look, I’m gonna cut to the chase. I’m calling for some info.”
“If I’ve got it, it’s yours,” his friend answered.
“Remember a few weeks ago when you saw my dad out with some brunette chick? Can you find out who she is?”
There was a brief pause, and then DJ’s friend declared, “I already know. You’re part of my crew. Made it my biz to find out in case there’s any comeback. Got an address for you too.”
I looked at DJ and blinked.
His mouth tipped up. “Thanks, bro. Should’ve known you were on it. Can you WhatsApp me the deets?”
“On it,” Josh told him.
DJ smirked, his eyes meeting Donovan’s, and gave him a chin lift as if to say, I’ve got this. “Appreciate ya.”
I stared at my son, thinking, Who is this confident, capable man-boy?
Donovan caught my expression and grinned down at his designer sneakers.
My boy’s phone buzzed again with an incoming message. “Got it, Josh,” he relayed. “Thanks.”
“No probs, bud,” Josh responded. “You know where I am if you need more.”
DJ said his goodbyes and then messed with his phone until my cell chimed with a notification. “Sent it to you both. Forward it to Kennedy; it may help her pin some shit on Dad. If you need more, I can ask Josh to go on a little hunt; give Dad a taste of his own medicine.”
“DJ,” I murmured. “I love that you’re looking out for me, but I don’t want you involved in this. You’re not a child, but you’re not an adult either. I don’t want you in the middle.”
“God, Mom. We’re already in the middle,” Gabby retorted. “We don’t want to move in with Dad, so if there’s something we can do to help your case, we’re going to do it.”
I turned to my daughter. “We have people already working on it, honey.”
DJ rolled his eyes. “My old crew can help. They know what they’re doing. That woman is dad’s new piece. Send your guy to her address and he’ll get what you need.”
I turned to Donovan. “Can you believe this?”
He shrugged. “You raised ‘em this way. You can’t turn around and ask ‘em not to care about you, Ro. You’ve been a stand-up mom, and they know it. The kids have grown up with you at their backs and they’ve watched Atlas and the Demons look out for each other too.
If you ask me, they’re not doin’ anything wrong because if it was my ma in your position, I’d be doing exactly the same. ”
I motioned for Donovan to take Imogen before grabbing my phone and forwarding the information to Kennedy with a short message to explain.
“Donovan gets it,” DJ muttered.
Moving over to the table, I bumped shoulders with DJ, who was heaping Chinese food onto his plate. “I just don’t want to be the reason you need therapy one day.”
“Ma. Get a grip. I’m good.” He carried his heaped plate of food over to the counter and slid onto a stool.
Donovan buried his face in Imogen’s cheek to hide his smile.
“Just eat your food before it gets cold,” I bit out, my gaze falling on Donovan. “And I don’t know what you find so funny.”
His hand darted out and caught my wrist. “You being a helicopter mom is the most fucking adorable thing I’ve ever seen. Don’t worry, Rosie Posy; DJ’s got this.”
I rolled my eyes and muttered, “Oh, alright then.”
He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “Gabby’s got it too,” he added. “Right, Gabs?”
“Yeah, Mommy,” she sang, seemingly unaffected by her brother making moves to help her mom and her lover bring her dad to his knees.
“I’m fine. I promise I won’t grow up to be some creepy axe murderer.
Even though I’ve read enough crime books to know how to get away with murder, I’ll stick to library management. ”
Donovan threw his head back and laughed, and my belly warmed.
His laugh was beautiful, and so was what it did to his face. He looked effervescent and alive. His straight, white teeth flashed in his tanned face, and his stunning, bright blue eyes danced.
Just watching the show brought a smile to my face.
Still smiling, he grabbed Imogen’s plastic Bluey plate and loaded it with some rice and an egg roll. “You gonna get some food, Ro?” he asked. “Deej and I didn’t drive all the way over to the Lucky Dragon for you not to eat.”
“Alright, alright,” I grumbled, grabbing a plate from the stack and spooning some chow mein and beef onto it. I followed Donovan over to the counter, where he slid Immie into her high chair and grabbed the last stool that happened to be between him and Gabby.
And as I sat, watching my kids interact with my boyfriend and his daughter, I realized something.
I may have been at war with my ex-husband, but my kids were well-adjusted enough to handle it, and hopefully, I’d be able to keep future therapy to the bare minimum. Whatever happened, they felt safe. I’d given them that, and I’d done it solo.
I’d taught my kids the ability to just roll with it and try to hold on to what was real. And when the world tilted back to its rightful place, they were going to tilt with it, no worse for wear.