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“How’s Brandon?”

She huffed. “I asked a question, Dylan. What is it that you are after this time?”

“I have no right to anything,” I said sternly. “You know that. But I want answers, because I never got them.”

Straight out of Gun Larsen’s handbook, toeing the line she’d said we’d go for. Answers. I had no idea what I wanted answers to.

“If you’re going to play dirty, I will play dirty back.”

Threats. Always. I was so over this, which was probably why I hadn’t fought harder. I couldn’t win. I never would.

“I’m just human, Veronica. And I love my children. There are so many things I want that I know you won’t give me, and I have to make my peace with that. But give me answers. Tell me how my children are. And when you’re ready, explain to me why you did what you did. Because one day, you will have to explain exactly that to your children, and that won’t be an easy conversation to have.”

Threats. I could play that game too. Not that I got to her, because she hung up on me, leaving me sitting there with a lead balloon growing in my stomach.

I felt sick. Nauseous.

And here the phone went again. Constance.

“Hey,” I said softly. Might as well. I had nowhere else to go.

Her face was on the screen. She was covering her mouth with her hand.

“Dad, what did you say to Mommy? She’s only been home for an hour, and she’s already throwing stuff at the walls in the office. I know she rang you. She said she would. Did you say yes?”

“Yes to what?” I asked, confused.

“To us coming over to stay with you? That’s why she rang, wasn’t it?”

“Darling,” I said softly, “you know that’s not an option. There’s a court order, and you’ll be going back to school in a few weeks.”

“Bullshit, Dad.”

Trust my daughter to call me out.

“Did you have a good trip back? I loved that you came to see me,” I almost whispered, hoping Veronica wasn’t listening in.

“I have you down as Jodie in my phone, just in case Mommy snoops. Jodie was this girl I met in the UK. I don’t actually have her number, but you can ring me anytime. You know that.”

“You don’t mind?” I had to ask, my heart beating a little faster.

“Of course I don’t. How’s Jean? And what was his name…Stewart?”

“Jean is fine. Stewart is…fine.”

“Marmie says thank you for the teddy. He hides it under his drawers so Mommy doesn’t find it.”

“Oh, Constance.”

I hated that my children had to lie. Hide. Fake things. Damn you, Veronica.

“It’s all good. How’s work?”

“Fine.”Calm. Just talk to her. Her smiling face.

“So it’s no problem then to take some time off. Pilar will fly over with us, and you can pick us up. Then we’ll stay with you for a bit. I don’t want to move again.”

“You’re moving?”