Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
I would need to call him and set up a payment plan for that.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Hannah rushed out, turning to me. “But I’m the one who asked him, and I paid for the movers.”
“What? Why?” Kola asked his sister.
“I’m sorry, but right now, with how everything is and every new horrible story in the news, I do not need the three musketeers on the road for however many days it will be where God knows what could happen to you.”
“Oh, honey,” I said, leaning sideways and kissing her cheek. “Your father, and Harper’s, were going to fly out there and drive home with them.”
“They were?” she gasped.
“Of course,” I said, smiling at her. “Harper’s father agreed with yours that the boys were not going on the road alone.”
“We’re grown-ups you know,” Kola pointed out.
“I know,” I said softly. “But your sister is right. We’re living through scary times, and I don’t want you, Harper, or Jake in any unnecessary danger.”
“Well, I gotta tell you, I’m super happy to ride in the private jet and have movers,” he said, leaning close and kissing the screen of his phone. “Thank you, B.”
“You’re welcome,” she murmured, clearly pleased with him. For a moment. Then she scrunched up her face. “And even though you’re being sweet, it’s still a no on the terrarium.”
He groaned.
“Stop worrying. Father’s Day is mine anyway. You did great for Mother’s Day.”
“Thanks.”
“We’re very lucky that our parents are easy to shop for,” Hannah told him.
“Right?”
“Easy?” I asked.
“You like all the kinds of things I like,” she told me. “Bead bracelets with healing crystals, cool pens, old-style staplers, gadgets—I mean, you get just as excited about shopping for containers as I do.”
I did. That was true.
“So you’re super easy, and there’s always a new blanket or something I want to get you too,” she apprised me. “And Dad—ohmygod, king of easy to shop for. You just have to get fishing stuff—which I learned from Kola—or something for his monster car.”
“He’s a big fan of things that go in the car that keep it organized or clean, and he also likes lights and things that you can mount stuff with.”
They weren’t even kidding. A month ago, Sam had replaced his Chevy Tahoe with a Jeep Grand Wagoneer L. The reason for the swap was that he’d had the Tahoe for a bit and wanted something that would still go really fast but could get everyone in the back seat at once. He liked being the designated driver, even though he grumbled about it as well. He got that from his mother. But even with all the bells and whistles—he bought the thing loaded with everything that could be put in—there were still things that he’d had in the old car that now the kids could give him all over again. The pull-down reading light—why this was necessary I had no idea—would be given again I was just certain. If you had an overhead light, why was… It didn’t matter. Sam liked things how he liked them, and me getting in the way of my children and their understanding of him was not a good idea.
I smiled at them both, listening to them talk, Hannah telling her brother again how happy she was that he was moving home.
“Is he all right?” Kola asked Hannah.
She turned and looked at me. “Are you having your yearly Mother’s Day breakdown?”
“What? I don’t do that anymore. I haven’t done that in years.”
Crossing her arms, she regarded me. “I never once felt that I was missing out on a mother because I had you instead. You get that, right?”
“Yes.”
“Same,” Kola echoed her. “I’ve talked to Harper and Jake about this, and we’ve all shared, and as far as we can tell, their families, mine, all the same. It’s time to cut that loose forever.”
“When did you talk about this?”
“Years ago when I was curious. I had no idea how a mother and father worked versus the two fathers I had. Turns out, it’s exactly the same.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah,” he said flatly. “So as I said, let it go.”
“Shall I sing it?” Hannah offered.
“No. God no,” Kola pleaded.
“I have let it go,” I assured them both.
“Then make this the last year of the Mother’s Day brunch,” Kola suggested.
“Oh thank God, yes,” Hannah agreed. “It’s like you feel the need to celebrate everyone because you’re not a mother and make everyone feel included, but if you just said, let’s go out to lunch and drink, they’d be down for that.”
I looked from one kid to the other.
“People like you,” Kola assured me. “They like to spend time with you even if you’re the only guy in a sea of women.”
Hannah laughed. “I like the imagery of that. It’s cute.”
“God.”
“Just stop with everything, and next year invite everyone out the weekend before. Or after. It doesn’t have to be a thing. You don’t have to do extra for us or for your friends and family. You’re a great parent, and we love you.”