Page 63 of Catching Our Moment
I nodded.
“How about you show me your room?—”
“I thought you were in a hurry to leave, Dad?” Aaron said.
“I am, but I wanted to see your room.”
“Go ahead, Aaron. Show him your room.” I gestured upstairs.
Aaron dropped his bag and trudged upstairs while I stood at the bottom and waited. “This is my room. That’s the bathroom. That closed door is Mom’s room,” Aaron said with the efficiency James would normally appreciate. “Oh! I almost forgot…” Aaron raced down the stairs. “Mom, can I take this with me? Maybe my cousins will help me practice.”
In his hand, he held the football Shaw had given him. “Sure. I think that should be fine,” I said.
James came back downstairs. “What’s that?”
“The football Shaw gave me,” Aaron said, running up and showing his father. “Shaw showed me how to throw a spiral. We are working on my distance. He said I’ve got natural talent, and I’m fast. He said I get it from Pop-pop. I can’t wait to show Pop-pop when he gets back from his trip. Wait until he sees what I can do.”
Pop-pop was my father, Holden Hammer, who was RVing around the southern states and was expected home in a few days. While only our close friends knew about our change in status, Shaw and I knew my father was going to be less than thrilled with the situation. It would probably be a toss-up between him and James over how bad a reaction they would have.
James’s hands went to his hips, and his smile froze. “Shaw? I thought Shaw went back to Charlotte. Shouldn’t he be back with the team by now?”
Aaron shook his head, beating me to an explanation. “No, he lives next door. Mom’s working on Shaw’s body to get him in shape, and he’s showing me how to play football.”
I stopped any further sharing with, “I think taking your football would be a great idea. It’ll be a way to get outside and get some exercise while you’re gone. Work off all that pie your grandma will make. I bet she makes the chocolate one just for you.” I went and picked up his bag for him. I needed James to go before this conversation went off the rails.
James motioned Aaron out the door, but his focus never left me. “Go ahead and take your things out. I’ll be right there.”
I helped Aaron shoulder his bag and held the door. “Have fun, honey.” I snuck a kiss on his cheek as he walked out.
“Bye, Mom. Tell Shaw I said bye.”
I nodded and braced myself for whatever James was going to hit me with as the screen door slammed, and Aaron walked down to the car.
“How long will Shaw be living next door?”
I crossed my arms. “I don’t know. Until he’s ready to return to play, I guess.”
“And when will that be?”
“I’m not at liberty to discuss his medical condition?—”
“Cut the crap, Kelcie. Why didn’t you mention he was living next door?”
“Because I didn’t find it relevant.”
“Not relevant. The man who wanted to raise my son moves in next door to you just a few
months after you and I get divorced, and that’s not relevant?”
“It’s not. It doesn’t affect our custody, and therefore, it’s not relevant.”
“It damn well?—”
I held up my hand. “I’m not doing this with you now.” I pointed to the driveway. “You are going to get in that car and drive to your parents and spend time with your son.” The son you haven’t seen in months. “What you’re not going to do is get bent out of shape all of a sudden about who is living next door to me.”
“Amber and I are getting married,” he blurted out.
“O-kay…” It was whipped at me without any preamble. I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to respond to it. “Congratulations.”
