Page 98 of Laws of Love
“Knox tells me you’re refusing to attend Yas’ birthday party if I’m there.”
“I am,” she responded, almost as if she were proud.
“Is there a particular reason?”
“I’m her mother, and I don’t want you there. I don’t need another reason.”
“But your daughter wants me there.”
“Then I won’t be.”
Aiva raised a brow at her. “You’re willing to disappoint and upset your child by not coming to a party that you and I can both stay away from each other at because I’m there.”
“She’s a kid. She’ll get over it.”
It was sad that Mia thought that. Sure, kids were resilient, and they bounced back, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t remember. Yasmine was also emotionally aware and would notice and feel what was happening. She had come into this conversation hoping they’d be able to speak like adults, but she’d been practicing law long enough to know that you never went into any situation without a contingency.
“I’m going to Yasmine’s party. Regardless of how you feel about it. If I were you, I wouldn’t read the tabloids the following days.”
“What? Why?” Mia asked, and Aiva could see genuine confusion on her face.
“Well, what do you think they’re going to say when they get wind of Yas’ birthday being celebrated without her mother in attendance? I hate to think how that would make you look.”
Aiva could see the thoughts running through Mia’s mind as if she were speaking them aloud.Got you.If there was one thing she’d learned about Mia, it was that she cared about how she was portrayed to others. Her not being at her daughter’s birthday party without a good reason would not make her look good.
“You wouldn’t,” Mia hissed after a moment.
“You’re right. I don’t subscribe to that petty shit, but just like people take random pictures and sell them, they’ll sell a story.”
Mia was quiet, and again, her conversation with herself was loud. She sighed, leaning back in her seat. “Fine. I’ll be there, but stay away from me.”
“That won’t be an issue unless Yas wants to do something with us together. At which time I expect you to suck up whatever your issue is for her sake.” Aiva stood from her seat. “See you next weekend.”
She found her waitress, tipping the young woman even though she only had water, and exited the restaurant. She waited for her phone to connect to her Bluetooth before dialing Knox’s number and pulling out of the parking lot.
“Hey, baby.”
“Hey, babe. Tell Yas I’ll be at her party.”
“You will?”
“I will. Mia and I will both be there,” she informed.
Knox was silent briefly. “How’d you swing that?”
“We had a conversation, and I appealed to her…better nature.”
It wasn’t exactly false. Her self-image was the only thing she was readily thinking about. Aiva could admit it was low to walk her into a corner like that, but she’d do it as often as she needed to keep Yasmine from being the one affected.
“I’m not even going to ask any more questions, but I’m glad you worked it out somehow. She’s been bummed about it since yesterday.”
“On second thought, would you let me tell her? I have a client coming in at three, but I should leave the office by four-thirty. I could swing by.”
“Of course, baby.”
They ended the call, and Aiva headed back to her office. When she entered the building, the waiting room was empty, and Finx was on the phone. She waved at him as she headed to her office. She’d barely settled in when he and Meila walked in.
“You don’t look like you had to beat a bitch up,” Meila stated, sitting.
