Page 86 of Not How I Saw That Going

“Don’t. Do. It,” I warn, but her fingers are already flying across the phone faster than Crew destroys a clean room.

“Too late. Done.”

“Maddie.” I groan. “Haven’t you ruined my life enough with that dumb app?”

She looks squarely at me. “That’s a bit of an exaggeration.”

I raise my casted hand and point at Crew’s face as evidence.

Her lips purse. “I’ll admit, those were unfortunate side effects.”

“I don’t want my life to become some spectacle,” I say.

“Let me do this one last thing for you and get you a fairytale evening. Then, I promise, we will go dark,” she says as she glances under the table to make sure Crew hasn’t spilled any more meatballs on the floor.

I roll my eyes while she’s looking away. She hates when I do that to her, but she sure does it enough for the both of us. “Sure you will.”

She sighs and faces me again. “Is it so bad that I want my best friend to find her happily ever after?”

“I have found it.” I smile at my little boy, who is completely covered in spaghetti sauce. I’ll have to bathe him here tonight because he’s not getting in his car seat like that. “He’s all I need to be happy. He’s saved me more than any knight in shining armor could.” I sniff and rub my eyes. Crew and I have been through it all together, and he will always be my number one priority, no matter how many attractive men pass through my life. (I’m assuming the number will forever remain at one.) “He’s my everything.”

Maddie’s phone makes a noise, signaling the end of a video.

“Oh, come on.” I roll my eyes, in front of her this time, and head for the kitchen to grab a wet towel. “Did you just record that?”

Maddie picks up her plate and joins me at the sink. “Yes, I did. Because you are the best mother ever.”

I snort. “Best mother? My kid lives in a shoebox infested with spiders and sugar ants and yesterday he refused to eat anything that wasn’t the color orange, so he ate Cheetos for two of three meals.” I sigh and let out a breath. A breath that doesn’t rejuvenate me, but does the opposite. My shoulders droop and I lean over the sink. This isn’t the life I want for Crew. I thought I could change everything with the power of a positive attitude, but I’ll never feel less than failing in the motherhood department.

“Just because you’ve been broken and bruised, doesn’t mean you aren’t a good mom. The best moms are the ones that keep getting up every day and trying their hardest. The moms that stay awake all night when her child has a fever and the ones always loving their kids even when they are being turds.”

At some point in the middle of her little speech, tears spring to my eyes. I can’t help it. Maddie is the only one that ever gives me appreciation, and I eat it up like the Sahara desert would a rainstorm.

“I just want the best for him,” I whisper.

Her arm comes around my shoulder. “I know. You are giving him the best. You’re giving himyourbest. Which is all he needs.”

It still doesn’t feel like enough, but I allow myself to lean into her hug. “Thanks, Maddie.”

My phone rings, ruining our hug. The number on the screen is familiar…why is it familiar?

I swipe the screen and put it to my ear.

“Will you accept a call from…” I lower the phone and shove it toward Maddie.

“What?” she asks, grabbing my phone before it hits the floor.

“It’s another call.” I whisper. “From Rodney.”

Her face turns to steel and she holds it to her ear. “Yes. I will accept the call.”

“What are you doing?” I screech, but she just shushes me.

“This is Lyndi’s legal counsel, and you will not contact her again,” Maddie says, then ends the call. “Hopefully that works,” she sighs.

“Hopefully?” My voice squeaks. “You said like five words. I thought you knew how to get rid of him?”

Maddie bites her bottom lip. “Well, I’m not an actual lawyer yet. He might see right through it.”