Page 114 of Forfeits

I looked into the living room. “Uh. Twister?”

His eyes went wide. “Wait! That’s perfect!”

“No, come on. We are not playing Twister with Lucy’s grandparents! For God’s sake, Brian just had a hip replacement.”

“Huh. So they want to parent an energetic twelve-year-old, but can’t even play fun games with her?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure I could get through a game of Twister at this point. Have you even played it?”

This discussion was serving to amuse me, at the very least. And picturing Brian and Annie trying to play Twister with Lucy was highly entertaining.

“Yes, I have. And I can still play it. And I foresee an enthusiastic game of naked Twister with you at some point.”

I raised my eyes, and Aiden grinned.

“Please don’t mention that to Annie.”

“Oh, I promise I will,” he joked. At least, I hoped he was joking.

We went into the living room and sat down together across from Annie and Brian.

“How’s the new hip?” I asked Brian.

“He’s fine,” Annie said. “Fit as a fiddle.”

“I’ve got most of my mobility back,” Brian said. “And it throbs a bit at night, but that’s easily controlled.”

“That’s good,” I said. “It’ll come in handy when you take Lucy hiking.”

“Pardon?” Brian looked startled. He gazed at Annie.

“Oh, just that Lucy enjoys hiking in the Gatineau hills, remember? So I figure if she’s staying with you and Annie, you’ll be taking her hiking and camping and doing all those things with her, right?” If they could play dirty, so could I.

“Well now, we thought you’d still be able to do those things with Lucy.”

“Me? You mean you’d trust me with her out in the wilderness, but I’m not capable of looking after her on a daily basis?”

“This isn’t a comment on your abilities, Fletcher,” Annie stated. “We simply think—”

“Annie, there is nothing simple about this. You’ll be taking the only stability Lucy’s had since Daniel died.”

I glanced at Aiden, who looked wary. I hadn’t planned on getting into this until we’d finished dinner.

Annie gave me a tolerant look. “Of course, we know that it will be difficult for you.”

I gaped at her. “Difficult for me? Lucy will be the one to suffer. I’m going to win this fight, Annie, but Lucy will be the one to suffer.”

“So don’t fight with us, Fletcher. Why don’t you make this easy on us all and admit that you’re in over your head parenting a child by yourself? Lucy will be with us, and you can live your life the way you want to.”

“This is the way I want to live my life!”

“Is it? Bringing casual sexual partners into the home where your twelve-year-old daughter lives?”

“Aiden isn’t my casual sex partner. And he’s gay, so I can assure you he’s absolutely no threat to my twelve-year-old daughter.”

Annie looked skeptical. Aiden and Brian looked horrified at the way the conversation had turned.

“My personal life is none of your business,” I said to Annie, careful to control the tenor of my voice. “Wait. Are you actually homophobic? Is that part of what this is about?”

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