Chapter 39 #2
“I really wish you guys would just be proud of her,” Rhodes says, gripping my hand.
“Elle is the best person there is. She’s loving, giving…
kind. Even when she does things that you don't agree with, you can still be proud of the person she is.
You do things she doesn't agree with, but she's proud of you.
Love each other, you're all you've got. And if you can't do that, Elle knows she's got me and my family.
We'll take care of her and we'll love her the way she deserves.”
My dad scowls. “We love our daughter.”
“Okay, then, love her. Truly love her. Unconditionally. Unconditionally means there is nothing she could do that would keep you from loving her. End of.”
Dad’s jaw is clenched. “She knows I love her!” He looks at me then. “Of course I love you—I always will and it is unconditional. But, that doesn’t mean I can’t say my piece when you do something I don’t approve of!”
I grin. “I think it’s safe to say I know what you think about something without you saying it. As you said, I’ve lived in this house. I’ve heard your sermons.”
“So what you’re saying is shut up?”
“No, I’m hoping we can get to a place where we have healthy boundaries. Where we feel safe being who we are with one another and know that it won’t be a constant battle when we’re together.” I take a deep breath. “And a good way to start would be by ensuring that Bernard isn’t here when I am.”
“Why are you so hostile toward me? We were together for a long time. You must still feel something to have all this anger,” Bernard says.
I turn my attention on Bernard only long enough to say, “I assure you I feel absolutely nothing romantically toward you, Bernard. I’m not your business, so stay out of mine.”
I look at Rhodes and nod slightly. He stands and holds out his hand for me. “Should we go home?”
“I would love to,” I say.
I go over and hug my dad and then my mom. I don't acknowledge Bernard. He doesn’t belong in this conversation, so I don't want to give him the satisfaction of even looking at him.
“I love you,” I tell my parents.
And we walk out.
I message the group thread.
Thank you for celebrating with me. It didn’t go so well with my parents and I think I need to get home and do some damage control with my agent. I love you all SO MUCH.
Carrie is in the driveway when we pull up.
“Are you kidding me?” I say before we get out. “I guess I may as well get it all over with in one night. Word travels fast in a small town, but seriously, this is crazy. I thought I had at least a few days for this to spread.”
We get out of the truck and Carrie gets out, leaning against her car.
“What are you doing here, Carrie?” Rhodes says.
“I came to see what's going on here,” she says, tilting her head toward me. “It's time you tell me the truth. You guys are together now.”
“Yes, we are,” he says. “It hasn't been long, and I would have talked to you when we were able to.”
“I’ve known,” she says. “And it is so wrong of you to keep this from me when our child is going to be with her all the time. You should have given me the consideration. You made that statement the other day that you would expect me to, and you are so full of shit.”
“I meant it,” he said, “and planned to talk to you about it as soon as we were able to openly because of the Mustangs situation. But as I said, it’s not like you don’t know Elle. From the time Levi was born, she’s been part of his life.”
“You guys have been sneaking around this whole time. You think I don't know that? Coming over here all the time and Rhodes rushing off to your condo…”
“Wait…did those pictures come from you?”
She gives me a smug smile and I want to shake it off of her.
“I’m so tired of you and your self-righteous act.
You’ve always thought you were so much better than me.
” She shrugs. “But I’m not going away. Levi is mine, and you’re not going to take over now that you’re finally in Rhodes’ bed.
” She takes a step closer and points her finger at me.
“You are not Levi’s mother and Rhodes will be bored with you soon anyway. ”
Rhodes steps between us. “You don’t speak for me, Carrie.
And not that it’s any of your business, but I’ll just say it so we’re clear.
There is not a chance that I will ever be bored with Elle.
I’m in love with her and I will spend the rest of my life showing her all the ways.
Understand now that you can’t ever speak to Elle like this again.
You need to go. Go home and stop spying on us,” Rhodes says.
“It's easy to do when we're all living here in the same town. I see you coming and going.”
“I’ll be letting the guards know to not let you through the gate anymore,” Rhodes says.
“You can’t keep me from my son!”
“You need to be really careful right now,” Rhodes says.
“You're set up really nicely in your house and paid above what I’m required to pay for child support. You’re saying threatening things now?
I’ll be informing my lawyers about it. I’ve made this all very easy for you, the lifestyle you have right now, and I can turn it around just as fast.”
“How dare you turn all this on me? She's the one trying to get away with breaking the rules when you're not even supposed to be seen together.
Why are you upset with me? And this whole thing with the book.
You think I don't know I'm in there? I could sue you for talking about me like that.” She tries to get around Rhodes and he blocks her.
“Carrie, go home,” Rhodes says.
“I’d really hoped we could be friends when I first realized you were going to be in Rhodes’ life, but you’ve made it impossible,” I say.
“Let’s be adults here, Carrie. I’m not trying to take your place with Levi.
I’ll never do that. But I do have my own place in his life, and I wish you respected me enough to be okay with that.
I’m no longer cheering with the Mustangs, so there won’t be any more sneaking around.
” I cross my arms. “You should know by now that I’m not going anywhere.
And I’ll be taking steps immediately to protect myself, so don’t fucking threaten me.
How about we each take a step back and not go to this dark place ever again? ”
Her defiant stance has dissolved and she looks like all the helium has been let out of her. Deflated.
“You’re not welcome here anymore,” Rhodes says. “I’ll have my lawyer contact you regarding the new arrangements for Levi’s drop-off and pickup.”
“Rhodes, that’s not…please, don’t—” she says, starting to cry.
“Until you can prove that you’re not going to pull this threatening shit again, that’s exactly the way it’s going to be.”
He motions for his guard and Mitch materializes. He opens her car door and when she gets inside, he closes it. Rhodes puts his arm around me as we wait for her to leave. We wait until she pulls out of the driveway before we go inside.
“There have been times I thought I saw her car outside your gate or near my condo,” I say, things becoming a lot clearer now. “That night we kissed, I think she was outside your gate.”
He curses under his breath and calls his lawyer.