Chapter 25 #3
Lily brushes past me on her way to the fridge, her fingers curling around my wrist briefly, squeezing me before letting me go.
I catch Cade’s smirk as his sister gathers cutlery from the drawer.
Jabbing my finger at him, I say, “Help her please.”
He lifts his hands in a defensive manner before moving towards the drawer, still fucking grinning at me. “Far be it from me to support the systemic inequality that exists in this house.”
Meredith gives her brother a filthy glare and the two of them begin one of their heated discussions that will likely last throughout breakfast.
“Travis!” I bellow. “Get your ass out here.”
Lily’s hand ghosts across my back as she moves past me. “I’ll go get him.”
I watch her leave the kitchen, my eyes glued to her ass. She’s got the tight jeans on today that never fail to get me hard. Hell, who am I fucking kidding? Lily gets me hard, full stop. She doesn’t need jeans to do that.
“Dad,” Meredith says, her voice raised and filled with impatience like she’s been trying to get my attention. “Did you hear what I said?”
I look at her. “No. What did you say?”
She gives me another roll of her eyes as she finishes laying the cutlery out on the table.
Years of those fucking eye rolls from all our kids have made me almost immune to them.
It’s certainly armed me with the ability to ignore them most of the time, saving all of us from World War III.
“Jewel’s coming to Sydney next weekend. Can she stay here? ”
“No.”
Meredith frowns. “Ookaay, that wasn’t weird at all. She always stays here.”
She’s right. J and Madison’s daughter almost always stays here when she’s in Sydney for one of her sporting competitions. Our daughters have been close since they were toddlers. “Your mother and I are planning a weekend away.”
“So, what’s that got to do with Jewel staying here?”
“You’re not staying here without your mother and me.” At the look on her face that says she’s got a solid argument already brewing over that, I say, “End of story.”
Meredith looks at Cade as he sits at the table. “Cade will be here. We can stay with him.”
I shake my head. “No.”
Meredith sits next to Cade. “Why not?”
“Because I said so.”
“Again, the worst reason of life for anything,” she says. “Give me a strong reason.”
Cade glances at me. “I’m good with them staying here with me.”
“I said no and I’m not changing my mind,” I say with some force as I pull my chair out and sit.
Meredith’s lips press together, unimpressed. “Just so you know, this is another display of gender inequality in this house. You let Cade stay on his own when he was sixteen.”
Thankfully, Lily joins us before I can open my mouth and lay down the law with my daughter. She slips into her seat and says, “Meredith, stop. Your father wants to keep you safe. I’ll call Madison and see if you can stay with them next weekend.”
“I’m just saying the double standards are blazing brightly and I am not a fan,” Meredith says.
Lily gulps some coffee down before saying, “I tell you what, darling, the lawn needs mowing, and since you’re looking for a domestic chore that hasn’t been historically performed by women, the job is all yours. This afternoon.”
Cade almost chokes on his drink and Meredith shoots daggers at him.
Travis finally makes his way to the table, dropping down into his seat with a pissed-off look on his face.
When he refuses to meet my gaze, I say, “Don’t bring your mood to the table, Travis. You know the rules.”
His head snaps up and he brings his hostility with him when he finds my eyes. “Yeah, just like you know the rules, Dad, but it never stops you bringing your mood to the table when you want to.”
I choose to ignore his dig at me because if there’s one thing Lily’s taught me over the years with her parenting, it’s to choose my fucking battles.
“If you don’t want us to have to have the conversation we’re having this afternoon,” I say, “Don’t behave in a way that necessitates that kind of conversation.
” I pause. “And don’t bring your mood over that upcoming conversation to a family meal. ”
Travis doesn’t reply to that. He simply gives me one last scowl before focusing on his breakfast.
“So,” Cade says, looking at his mother with a shit-eating grin, “do you want me to do the laundry when I get home from work tonight? You know, since we’re all swapping chores around here now.”
Meredith throws another filthy glare at him as Lily says, “Cade,” in a warning tone.
He has the good fucking sense to listen to her and drop it.
We settle into silence while eating our breakfast until Meredith receives some text messages and instantly picks up her phone to check them.
When she taps out a reply, Lily says, “Meredith.”
We have three rules for mealtimes.
One: Leave your bad mood behind.
Two: Leave your phone behind.
Three: Stay until everyone has finished eating.
Meredith puts her phone down. “Sorry. It was Chloe. She’s had a huge fight with her parents, and I’ve been worried about her.”
Chloe is one of Meredith’s best friends. They’ve been inseparable since they were seven. Some days, it feels like she’s another child of ours with how often she’s over here.
“She’s not okay?” I ask.
Meredith shakes her head. “No. Her dad left.”
Lily’s brows pull together. “As in, he moved out?”
“Yeah,” Meredith says. “As in, he’s been having an affair for two years and I think he’s a pig with the way he’s treating her mother and her.”
“Don’t call him names,” Lily says.
“He deserves it,” Meredith says.
Lily gives me the look that tells me I need to step up here. Fuck if I want to, though. I’ve always thought Chloe’s father was an asshole.
“How about we leave the names out of it and focus on Chloe,” I suggest. “Do you want to invite her to stay tonight?”
Meredith’s eyes light up. “Yeah?”
I nod. “If it’s okay with her mother.”
“Ohmigod, Dad, that would be the best.” She swipes her phone up off the table but then remembers the rules. “Can I text her now to ask?”
“One text,” I say.
“I thought tonight was all about cleaning up for the party tomorrow,” Travis says, all moody again.
“Chloe can help clean up,” I say.
“She can help Meredith mow,” Cade says, bringing that grin of his back, intentionally stirring his sister.
“Cade,” I growl. “Enough.”
Christ, Lily and I made it through years of Cade’s moods, and I’m fucking grateful he’s left them behind, but right now I could do without his grins and shit-stirring ways.
“So, Brax can stay over too?” Travis says, not letting this go.
“No, he can’t,” Lily says.
“Why not?” Travis questions, challenging Lily with his words and his demanding stare.
“Because we’re having a huge party tomorrow and I need all of you to help me get this house ready. And”—she talks over him when he tries to cut in—“I said so, Travis. End of story. Don’t even think of arguing with me over this. Not after what you’ve done this week.”
He shoves his chair back and stands. “I’m with Meredith. The inequality in this place is shit.” With that, he stalks away from the dining table and down the hallway towards his bedroom.
I run my hand down my face.
The day has barely started and already here we fucking are.
“I was talking about gender inequality, Travis,” Meredith calls out after him. “I think you need to look the definition up.”
“Meredith,” Lily says, her voice holding traces of the mental exhaustion we’re both feeling at the moment with our kids. “Please stop.”
Cade stands. “Thanks for breakfast, Dad.”
Usually, I’d tell the boys to get their asses back to the table until everyone’s finished eating. Today, I let that shit go. I’ve got bigger battles to fight today than this one.
Lily’s POV
11:30 a.m.
Me
I’m not going to make it to the clubhouse today. In fact, I may not even make it home tonight. My mother may make me dead before then.
King calls rather than responding with a text.
“What’s going on?” he asks.
I frown. “You sound tired.”
I hear his exhale before he says, “Lily. What’s your mother done?”
“Brynn just called to tell me Mum has made party bags for the party. Party bags, King. Meredith is turning sixteen, not ten! Apparently, she’s also told Brynn she’s going to get the kids to play Twister at the party.
And that’s only the beginning. If I thought you’d actually sit there and listen to everything she’s got planned, I’d keep talking.
Really, all you need to know is that I can’t go on. ”
“Fuck,” he mutters, and I imagine him running his fingers through his hair or scrubbing his hand down his face in the way he does when he’s frustrated. “I’ll call her now.”
I release a breath. “Thank you. And I’m sorry I won’t make it to the clubhouse to talk. Have you got time now? I’m about to drive home, so we could go over stuff now.”
He takes a moment to answer me, like he’s been distracted. “No, I haven’t got time now. I’ll come home early.”
“Okay.”
We end the call and I send a text to my girls before getting in my car to drive home.
Me
Why did I think it was a good idea to have so many children? If any of you are thinking of having more kids, STOP AND SEW YOUR VAGINA UP.
Monroe
I sewed mine up years ago.
Tatum
You did not. Stop lying.
Monroe
Well, for humans to come out of it, I did. But I’m always open to Hyde.
Hailee
I’m with you, Lil. Having three kids was a bold choice. I see that now. Also, I still can’t decide if girls are harder than boys.
Me
Me either.
Evie
GIRLS. Every damn time.
Me
Ask me tomorrow and I’ll probably agree with you.
Tatum
How’s the crush going, Lil?
Evie
What crush?
Tatum
Meredith’s first boy crush. What’s his name again?
Me
Tom. And IDK. She hasn’t spoken to me about him yet. I only know about her crush thanks to Chloe.
Hailee
It pays to keep the best friend on side.
Monroe
OMG I’ve been waiting for her first crush! Is this just new or has she liked him for a while?
Me