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I seethe.
“For the weekend,” she adds with a knowing smirk. “I promised Abe we’d have a real celebration when he’s done with school on Friday.”
“He’s been with you for the past three weekends.”
“And so what? He feels close to his mother’s side of the family. It’s not a crime that he wants to spend time here.”
“You’re right. A crime is taking a child away from their school without the parent’s knowledge and permission.”
She laughs and then leans forward. All the fabric of her silk dress slides to the floor and pools at her veiny feet. “You’re an inflexible man when you want to be, aren’t you?”
“I’m a soldier.”
“Exactly why I’m urging you, yet again, to reconsider letting the kids live with me.”
“That isnotup for discussion.”
“Abe is more comfortable here.”
“Abe is spoiled here. You have no rules for him. No boundaries. You buy his happiness—”
“And doyouknow anything about his happiness? You with all your rules and boundaries and barking orders?” She flutters her hand as if shooing a fly. “He feels more at home with me. Besides, he needs a more womanly touch.”
“A boy needs his father.”
“Does he? Both you and Anya were gone so much of the time… He was more like an orphan.”
That stings. I can’t stop myself from flinching.
“He’s more familiar with me, practically raised himself in my home.”
“That was only when he was young. We—”
“Settled down in one place when you adopted Regan? Except you didn’t. Even after the adoption, you made the decision to return to fighting.”
A lump forms in my throat. I clamp my hands together.
“You took my daughter away, no matter how much I disagreed with it.” Tears pool in her eyes. Her voice cracks. “If only you’d listened to me then. None of this would have happened.”
Guilt tugs at my heart and makes it hard to hold my head up.
Miss Gen inhales a shuddering breath. “That is why,” she raises her eyes to mine and I can see the emotions riding close to the surface, “I will not back down this time. Send Abe to me. My precious baby deserves to grow up with a normal childhood and a normal life.”
“Losing Anya was hard for all of us. I understand how you feel, Miss Gen but—”
“Don’t pretend you understand how I feel!” she shrieks and then she blinks rapidly as if the loss of control is embarrassing for her. Taking a moment, she gathers herself and says, “Why don’t we be realistic, Clay? What does a soldier know about child-rearing? You might have been a big deal in the military, but Abe isn’t a soldier. He’s a child. My grandchild. Anya’s blood. She carried him for nine months and left him behind as her final gift to the world.”
“You know,” I stick a hand in my pocket and choose my words carefully, “I’m hearing a lot about Abe, but your custody suit is for both of my kids.”
Her eyebrows rise slightly.
“What about Regan? Anya didn’t carry her for nine months. Does your heart ache for her too?”
“Oh yes. Well,” her eyes dart to the side, “of course I care for Regan.”
Convincing.
Resolve hardens inside me. At one point, I might have considered letting Anya’s mother have her way, but how can I trust her to treat Regan well? My daughter is not the bonus toy that comes with the main meal. She is not an afterthought.