Page 26 of Bonus Daddy
As I slid to the ground, playing peek-a-boo with her beautiful baby, a wave of shame hit me. I should have been doing more for her. I should have been visiting this sweet girl more often, building the kind of bond Lana had created with my children.
“You’ve been busy lately,” she said. “Any movement on the legal front?”
“Yes. I’ve got a new lawyer,” I explained as the girls came running out of the pool to devour the snacks Max had laid out.
Greta snatched a carrot from the tray. “He’s our babysitter too,” she said, her mouth full. Without further explanation, she inhaled a piece of cheese and darted back to the pool.
“Babysitter?” Lana raised an eyebrow.
“Not quite,” I said, a strange, protective sensation settling over me.
Lana was my best friend. I could tell her anything. But our current situation felt too complex to even explain.
“I found my new lawyer through some friends at the studio,” I explained. “He’s great and can help me.”
Lana nibbled on a cracker, eyes narrowing. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“It’s Brian,” I said, wincing.
She straightened, her mouth dropping open. “BrianBrian?”
I grimaced.
“College Brian? First love Brian? The boy you lost your virginity to Brian?”
I nodded. “Yes. His firm. He and his partners are temporarily working in Jersey. They and their families live in the apartment above their office, so they’ve got a whole after-school-program situation happening. The girls love it. They’ve made new friends, and it’s been a big help to me, since we can’t keep a damn babysitter.”
Lana nodded. “They hate babysitters because no one could ever measure up to me.”
“Correct.” I grinned. “So I was in need of after-school coverage, and Sloane—the attorney I was supposed to work with at Higgins, Smith and Dodge, actually—happens to be part of this family. She’s on maternity leave, so she’s home with her newborn, her seven-year-old son, and her nephew.”
“So you’re crowdsourcing childcare from your law firm?”
I cringed. “When you say it like that, it sounds sketchy.”
Lana pinched the bridge of her nose. “It is sketchy, sweetie. Do you know these people? Have you vetted them?”
“Of course,” I said. “Obviously, I know Brian. Lo has become a friend and I trust her, plus she is an emergency guardian in the court system. Their place is chock-full of Legos and art supplies, and thegirls spend a couple of hours after school doing homework and playing.”
“You can always call me. Marie and I can jump in the car and come to the city.”
I leaned forward, careful not to squish the baby, and squeezed her hand. “Of course I know that. And I love you. But I promise this is working. And we’re so close to getting approval to move. I just need to get to the finish line.”
“You think Vermont’s gonna happen?”
I did. I was a positive person at my core. Kenneth may have drained a lot of that energy, but over the last few years, with distance from him, it had begun building up again. Things were finally coming together. And I knew in my bones that Brian would win this for me.
We’d head to Vermont. It was only a matter of time. “I know it,” I said. “We had a meeting today. Brian stood up to Kenneth and scared the shit out of him.”
Lana clasped her hands. “Okay, tell me everything.”
Her smile grew wider as I gave more and more detail. “He did that? The precious Metros tickets?”
“Yes. So, for the first time, I feel hopeful that Vermont will happen. That we can get our fresh start.”
She scooted around so we were knee to knee and put her head on my shoulder.
“I’m all for you and those kids. Whatever is best for you. I want you to live the brightest, happiest, and most fulfilling life possible, my love.” She sniffed lightly. “And if I have to lose you to the maple farm and those damn green mountains, then I’ll have to be okay with it. But there are good things here. Don’t forget that.”
