Page 113 of Sometimes You Fall

“Did you think I wasn’t going to at least have something in the works?” he says, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. “You might have been on the fence about that, but I was serious.”

“Did you paint the walls pink?”

“All I have is furniture. I was hoping we could finish the rest together when you pulled your head out of your ass.”

“Hey!” I reach up to twist his nipple, but he grasps my hand before I can, twisting his body so he’s hovering over me now.

“You’re the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met, Scottie. Knowing my luck, our daughter is going to get that from you too.”

“You’re going to be outnumbered, Grady.”

“I have Chase on my side still, at least for the next few years.”

“Then what happens after he’s gone off to school or moves out?”

He cups the side of my face. “Then it will just be me and my girls, and Chase—the way it should be—the way it always was supposed to be, babe. And I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

***

“So what does this mean?”

I’m sitting across from my son in our living room. It’s Sunday morning after the night that made me realize all my sacrifices to get to this moment were worth it. Before Chase came home from his friend’s house, Grady left to grab donuts—and apple fritters, of course—to give me a chance to talk to Chase alone. I wanted him to be able to voice any concerns freely without Grady around.

“This means that Grady and I are going to be together, and before your sister comes, we’re moving in with him.” As Grady and I lay down to sleep last night, I realized my life was about to change quicker than I had anticipated. But it feels right. I just hope my son supports this development.

Chase scoffs, but I can hear the teasing tone in his reply. “Seems kind of backwards seeing as how you’re already pregnant.”

“Watch it,” I chastise him, but can’t deny that he’s right. “I know it seems out of order, but the truth is, Grady and I have a past and our feelings from back when we were younger only seem to have grown. Yes, we’re having a child and that wasn’t planned, but what we do have the ability to choose is the chance at being a family, and we both really want that.”

Chase studies me for a moment. “What about Dad?”

“Grady knows your father isn’t involved in our lives anymore. He knows that we left and have no intention of going back. But there’ssomething important you should know as well.” I take a deep breath and prepare to tell my son the truth about his dad. “Your father relinquished his parental rights, Chase.”

“What does that mean?”

“That means that legally, you no longer have to see him.”

I see my son’s jaw clench as he processes this information. “Mom…I really hate him.”

His words slash right through my heart. I stand from my chair and move to my son where he sits on the couch. Placing my hand on his shoulder, I lean into him. “Don’t hate him, Chase. He doesn’t deserve that energy from you, and hating someone takes a lot of energy, believe me.”

“He’s the worst dad. Honestly, I feel relieved that he’s not in our lives anymore.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “Me too. But the best thing you can do is learn from him, Chase—learn what kind of mannotto be. I hope that one day when you find the person you want to be with, you devote time and energy to your relationship, and you cherish that person and show them how much they mean to you every day. Because if your father taught us anything, it’s exactly what not to do. And when you have kids of your own, be there for them. Stick to your word. Be like…”

“Grady,” he finishes for me, glancing over at me now. A tear falls as I nod, so grateful that my son has that man as an example to look up to now—and that he chose us.

Chase nods, silent for a few moments. When he speaks again, though, his words tell me that I’m taking the right step forward. “I like Grady, Mom. He’s a good man.”

Speaking around the lump in my throat, I say, “He is.”

“He’s taught me alot.”

“Me too, Chase.”

“This kid is lucky to have him as a dad,” he continues, reaching down to touch my stomach.

“Yeah, she is.” I look my son in the eyes. “But she’s just as lucky to have you as her big brother, Chase.”

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