Chapter Twenty-Eight
Kiyah
I flipped Todd’s business card between my fingers and stared at my bedroom ceiling.
I was considering his offer because I couldn’t help but feel like an interloper in my parents’ home.
They’d recently kicked Kieran’s ass to the curb and were looking forward to becoming empty nesters, only for me to return home with my baggage.
They insisted they preferred me home rather than taking off and going low contact again.
Truth be told, this is the longest I’ve been home in a while.
“Come in,” I announced after hearing a knock on the door. I rolled my eyes when Rob Zombie jumped onto the foot of my bed and began chattering.
“Are you doing all right, Ki?”
“I’m fine,” I said, returning my attention to the business card.
“Are you sure? You didn’t come down for dinner.”
She closed the door and sat at the computer desk where I used to spend hours cramming last-minute for exams. Grant would not so helpfully remind me that I wouldn’t have to stress out if I didn’t procrastinate.
He would typically be met with a demand to leave me alone and a closed door.
His banishment was quickly overturned when he slid his old study guide underneath my door.
“I had a big lunch,” I lied.
“Daisy said you only had a salad at lunch.”
“And bread,” I added, scratching at the sphinx cat’s ear.
“For an attorney, you’d think she’d get her facts straight,” Mom said jokingly.
“What was it like being a nanny?” I asked abruptly, derailing the small talk.
“Why? Where is this coming from suddenly?” she asked, peering at me skeptically.
“I received a job offer as a live-in nanny today.”
“Was this job offer from a certain politician?”
“It was,” I confirmed. “Your love life aside, what was it like being a nanny?”
She blew a raspberry and spun twice in the swivel desk chair before addressing me.
“Being a nanny was stressful, especially for three children with varying personalities. Going in, I had so many anxieties. I was fearful of what the household dynamics would be like or that I’d be so busy with Jon’s kids that I’d neglect my grieving child.
I was afraid that my job had an expiration date.
But the job was more rewarding than I ever thought possible. ”
I snorted.
“Yeah, you struck it rich.”
She smiled warmly. “The money was only a small blessing compared to the family I found and the friendships and reconnections I made.”
I nodded understandingly.
“Do you think I should take the job?”
“No,” she whispered.
I sat up and confronted her.
“No? Why not?”
“I’ll be the first to tell you that it’s easy to blur the lines when you live with an attractive man and you’re raising his kids.”
“Mom—”
She cut me off with a shake of her head. “Kiyah, you’re an adult, and I can’t tell you what to do with your life, but there are other factors you need to consider.”
“Other factors like what?”
“Grant, for one.”
“What about Grant? We’re getting divorced.”
She sighed exasperatedly and nodded towards my dresser. “Is that why the signed divorce papers aren’t in the mail yet?”
“I haven’t made it to the post office yet.”
“Give me a break, Kiyah. If you wanted to, you would. You know your marriage isn’t over, just like Grant knows.
You’re both hurting, and things were done and said in the heat of the moment that you both regret.
You know that I’ve been where you’ve been, Ki.
Losing a child isn’t easy, and the two of you should go to therapy together.
Your dad and I went to therapy, and it changed our lives—it made us stronger and forced us to realize that we were better together than apart. ”
“That still blows my mind.”
“What blows your mind?”
“That the two of you were on the rocks. We never knew. I don’t even remember seeing you guys fight or argue,” I mumbled.
“That’s how it should be. If we had problems, we kept them behind closed doors. We didn’t want our shit to affect y’all.”
“What would you guys fight about?”
“Does it matter? You should be worried about your own relationship instead of me and your dad.”
“Damn, okay.”
“I spoke to Grant today, and he wants you to call him.”
That’s the second time today….
“Did Grant call you?” I asked.
“Yes?”
“Like you said, if he wanted to, he would. He’s not blocked. If Grant can call everyone else, then he can call me.”
Mom sighed as she climbed to her feet to collect Rob Zombie.
“I don’t know where you get this stubbornness from.
Just like your shame and guilt held you back from telling Grant about the miscarriage, his shame and guilt are holding him back from reaching out.
You both owe each other grace. Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be. ”
A throat cleared from the doorway. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Dad announced, sending us uneasy looks.
“Nothing at all,” Mom answered with an edge of coolness in her voice that he picked up on.
“Well, in that case, it’s time for bed, dear.”
“Goodnight, Kiyah. I hope you take what we discussed into consideration. I love you.”
“I love y—can y’all not?” I protested when they started heavily flirting in the doorway as if I didn’t exist.
I’m not a hater, but no one wants to hear their dad tell their mom not to go to sleep so he can put her to sleep! But then again, I have no room to talk when he almost caught Grant and me in the act.
“Sorry about that,” he muttered as he watched my mother sashay down the hallway in her silk champagne negligee. “Can we talk?”
“Sure,” I agreed, pulling myself up against the headboard. Uneasiness washed over me because I had a feeling where the conversation might go. He stood instead of sitting and folded his arms over his chest while avoiding my gaze.
“Divorce is never easy, no matter who initiates it. For me, rebuilding after the divorce was the most challenging. Here I was with three young children—”
“Get to the point where you kick me out.”
For a moment, he seemed stunned that I caught onto their good cop, bad cop routine.
“Baby, we’re not kicking you out. We just want you to pick yourself back up. You can’t confine yourself to your bedroom for the rest of your life—make friends, get a job—”
“I have a job,” I blurted, surprising us both.
He tilted his head to the side and asked, “You have a job?”
“Not really, but I’m considering it.”
“Tell me more,” he urged, finally unfolding his arms and tucking his hands into the pockets of his slacks. He intently listened as I filled him in.
“What do you think?”
“I think this can be a wonderful opportunity for your future endeavors. Can you imagine the letter of recommendation you’d receive or the doors this might open for you?
It’d bum me out that you’d be in Austin, but it’s the closest you’ve been to us in a long time.
I’ll take what I can get. How are you feeling about it? ”
I shrugged. “Like you said, I need to pick myself back up. The kid is a sweetheart, and we seem to get along.”
“And you and Mr. Branson?”
“So far, he’s nicer than my last couple of bosses, and everyone seems to love him.”
“He certainly won your grandmother over. She won’t shut up about the man. If you decide to accept the position, have Mr. Burgess go over your contract and have him add a sexual harassment clause in there so that you can sue him for everything he’s worth if he puts his hands on you.”
“Did Mom have a sexual harassment clause in her contract with you?”
“No, and thank God we didn’t, or I would’ve been in financial ruin.” I snatched the pillow from my bed and tossed it at him. He laughed and batted it away. “Good night, Kiyah.”
“Good night.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
His eyes landed on the manila envelope on my dresser. “I’m going to the post office tomorrow. Would you like me to drop this off?” he asked, nodding towards the documents.
“Um….”
Tell him yes because you’re not strong enough to do it yourself.
“If you don’t mind.”
He smiled softly and collected the documents. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
He closed the door, and I had to hold myself back from running after him and telling him I had changed my mind—that I needed to call Grant because he wanted to talk to me for some reason.
“I want you out of my life, Ki. You’ve hurt me for the last fucking time. Do you hear me?”
No, this is for the best.
Thaddeus
I joyfully hummed as I installed the false smoke detector in what would be Kiyah’s bedroom. I’d spent all evening outfitting her bedroom with undetectable cameras. I needed to keep an eye on her at all times.
I was nearly done when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. A smile stretched across my face as I read the incoming text.
This is Kiyah. I’m sorry for reaching out so late. I wanted to inform you that I’m considering the live-in nanny and Event Coordinator positions. Please let me know the best time to discuss specifics.
I chuckled and responded to her message.
“It’s like taking candy from a baby.”