Page 34 of Aaron's Patience

“All done!” Kennedy came out of the bathroom running.

I went over to the counter to retrieve her breakfast and my stomach tightened upon seeing the chocolate chip pancakes he’d made. Inhaling a deep breath, I swallowed down the memories threatening to flood my brain. I carried the plate and placed it in front of Kennedy.

“You aren’t eating?”

I turned to Aaron. “No appetite. Kyle and Kennedy, when you’re finished with your plates, place them in the sink and then come upstairs to get dressed.”

I didn’t give the dining area a second glance as I hustled out of there and back up the stairs. I figured I could spend the day getting in contact with a number of contacts in Oakland to finish closing accounts I had there. Aaron didn’t leave me much time to settle my business in Oakland between moving here and planning for the wedding. I wrote out a few numbers I needed to call in my planner, and a few minutes later the door to our bedroom opened.

Aaron barged in, going over to his walk-in closet and pulling out a suit, and then laying out a watch and cufflinks. I watched him silently for a moment before I realized what he was doing.

“You’re going into the office today?”

He paused at the dresser before looking over at me, perplexed. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Reminding him that we just got married the day before seemed foolish but it was my only reasoning.

“I told my employees I’d be in a little late today. You and the children have a busy day. My assistant has made an appointment at Excelor for their registration. You will need to contact their former school to have their records sent over. There is also a camp that I’ve signed them up for that begins next week, and continues for the next three weeks. After that, they will have a week off before school begins.”

My mouth fell open. “You’ve already signed them up at Excelor? Without consulting me about it?”

A dark eyebrow lifted. “Excelor is a great school. I attended, as did you.”

“I know what school I went to.”

“Then what is the problem?” he asked, agitated.

“The problem is you took it upon yourself to do all of this without asking me.”

“I was supposed toaskyou?”

I rolled my eyes up to the ceiling. “Iamtheir mother. You don’t think it makes sense to at least have a conversation with me on where they’ll go to school, or what camp they’ll attend?”

“I am their father.”

I blew out a breath. “We’ve established that.”

“A father who’s lost five years of their life already,” he stated accusingly.

“A choice I thoughtyoumade,” I explained, defending myself.

“A choice you should’veknownI’d never make!” he seethed.

My instinct was to shrink back in the face of his anger, but I refused. I was not in the wrong in this. If he’d have never lied, we wouldn’t have been in this mess to begin with.

“Jackass,” I uttered, because I couldn’t think of anything else to retort.

“I’ve been called worse.”

“I bet you have,” I mumbled, and then climbed off the bed to head into the bathroom.

Just before I stepped over the threshold of the bathroom, he asked, “I assume you’ll be taking the children to visit your father at some point today or tomorrow.”

I froze.

“They were not allowed into his hospital room while he was recuperating and the children have not spoken of visiting him.”

I glanced back at Aaron, who was now staring at his wrist while he fiddled with the cufflink he was fixing. I hadn’t even realized he was getting dressed, having done my best not to glance in his direction.