Somee #3
The smugness in his expression was sexy and infuriating.
“You’re the one trying to snatch her out of the only familiarity she has to get back to your precious football. Is yours?” I angled my head to the side and he shook his head but signed the rest.
“But it pays the bills and I’m pretty sure my job pays a hell of a lot more than yours.
I’m also willing to pay you to come with me.
She doesn’t know me and she’s not going to want to leave you.
I can see you care and she’s obviously happy here.
Rylee is leaving regardless, because my life is in Crescent Falls, which means hers has to be too. ”
I quickly offered a resolution. “She can stay with me. I don’t mind. I’m sure you’re busy. Raising a kid is a lot of work.”
“I am incredibly busy which is why my time spent arguing with you could be better spent ensuring Rylee has what she needs to be comfortable with me.”
He locked his arms over his chest, lowered his chin, and scowled at me.
I signed confidently, “Leave then. She can stay.”
“No. She belongs with me.”
She did but still…
I tried to compromise. “What if I keep her with me just until school ends? That’s only a few months.”
“No. That doesn’t work. Can’t you take a leave or something at work?
I’m willing to pay you a lot more than you make now.
Or just quit. I’m sure I could pull some strings to get you hired at whatever school I choose for her.
You can even homeschool Rylee if you want.
I have to travel with games, that way you two can travel with me.
She’ll be with me but her world won’t be completely turned upside down.
You claim her happiness is important to you, right? ”
Oh, wow. Low blow…
“Well, so do you. It will make her happy to stay here,” I returned, not willing to give in.
“Possibly but staying is not an option. You don’t have custody, I do. This is happening. Whether it’s an easy transition is up to you.”
Double low blow…
Asshole.
I glanced at Rylee, speaking animatedly to Miranda while Marlee interpreted. My heart hurt at the thought of losing her and Rylee being upset for fighting to keep her, giving Rylee hope, and having to watch her leave with an emotional meltdown.
I couldn’t believe what I was about to do, but he was right. Rylee’s happiness was far more important to me than winning.
“Fine, if you promise to let us finish the week and I can get the leave, I’ll agree to go with you…her… I’ll go with Rylee to make sure this transition isn’t any more traumatic than it has to be.”
His brow lifted when he signed, “Traumatic.”
“Yes,” I signed, offering a nonchalant, one-shouldered shrug.
He shifted his eyes toward Rylee, watching her with his mother, then conceded to agree, which looked like it pained him. I had a feeling it did because he loved his sister, whether he knew her or not.
But so did I…
“I have to leave tonight, I have a game on Sunday. I’ll be here right after the game. I need her packed and ready to leave. I also don’t want you filling her head with nonsense about how terrible her life is going to be because she has to live with me.”
“I wouldn’t do that.” My brows pinched and his left one rose slowly.
“I wouldn’t,” I signed in argument.
“And you’ll request leave so you can come with her?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean it will be approved.”
I had no idea how that would work. I would figure it all out because after getting Rylee situated with her brother, I would ultimately have to return to my life, which meant needing a job to pay my bills.
His eyes left me and moved toward the living room where Marlee, his mother, and Rylee were smiling and engaging. I followed his line of sight and watched as Rylee signed simple phrases and Miranda did her best to emulate them. Marlee provided additional advice to assist and my heart swelled.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed movement and turned my head toward Ryland who wore a pinched expression before his hands were in motion. “We have to tell her why I’m here.”
Oh yeah, I conveniently left that off when he broke protocol and decided to tell Rylee who he was.
“I will…”
“No, I’ll tell her,” he responded. I decided to choose my battles and simply signed okay.
Ryland and I moved to the living room and began the process of upending this beautiful girl’s life.
After Ryland explained to his sister that he was here because they were family and family was supposed to live together, Rylee tucked her small body into my side.
She was only six years old but Rylee was smart.
By the time his hands completed the sentence that confirmed Rylee would have to leave me to live with him, her little body was filled with tension.
“Do you understand why you have to come with me?”
Rylee nodded and Ryland asked, “Would you like to come stay with me?”
“No,” she signed, then glanced at me. “I want to stay here with Somee.”
I sensed the tension in his shoulders when he signed. “You can’t stay, Rylee.”
Rylee’s tiny brows pinched. “Yes, I can. Somee will let me.”
Well, fuck. This was harder than I assumed.
I turned to Rylee. “You’re always welcome here but Ryland is your brother, and since your mom is gone, the courts say you have to be with him. Ryland doesn’t live here so you have to go with him.”
“But I don’t want to.” She pouted and my heart broke.
“What if I come with you?”
She frowned. “Are you going to stay with me?”
“For a little while. Would you like that?”
I had no idea how I would make this happen, but I would for her.
“Yes.” She nodded and glanced at Ryland before her eyes were on me again.
“Then I’ll come too,” I assured her and she smiled.
“Okay.”
And just like that, everything in my life and hers was changing.
Ryland and I exchanged numbers. He delivered firm warnings that I was to answer all of his texts when it came to checking on Rylee. I agreed but only because I wanted him out of my house so I could fully process what was happening.
Miranda was sweet and kind as always, promising me that everything would be fine. I had no guarantee of whether or not that would truly be the case but what could I do about any of this besides make it work.
After they were gone, Marlee and I had wine and I vented, filling her in on the conversation I had with Ryland and how much I loathed him for disrupting the happy bubble Rylee and I existed in. We were fine, she was fine. We didn’t need him.
But that wasn’t truly the case, and no matter how much I tried to convince myself that Rylee being with him wasn’t the right move, deep down inside I was well aware that she truly belonged with her brother.