Page 104 of Chosen Road

Amber laughed and waved the boys away. “Go! Leave the table, paliopaido!”

Alex laughed as he danced out of Yiayia’s reach, Jace was not so lucky.

Yiayia caught his sleeve and he stopped, a gentle smile on his face. “You going to get a tattoo, agori mou?”

“Don’t look at me, Yiayia. My dad only has three.”

Everyone laughed, and although the mood was good, there was an undercurrent that was not.

Ruby looked pointedly between Amber and me, her curious eyes boring holes in Amber. Amber pretended not to notice.

Finally, Ruby could bare it no longer. “So! What’s new?”

Amber smiled and looped her hand through my bent elbow. “I won’t be needing the condo anymore.”

“What? Yes!” Ruby squealed, her arms up in the air. “I’m so happy for you guys!”

Amber laughed and it was music to my soul. “I can see that!”

“Are you happy, Ames?” Ruby asked softly.

Amber nodded and I caught Vander’s eye as he smirked at me.

“I’m right here, Rubes,” I admonished her, and she laughed, remembering as I did, the day I questioned her in front of Vander.

“Is everything okay? I’m sensing an undercurrent. Anything we should know about?” I asked.

Vander’s face immediately lost its easy expression. “Yeah, we need to update you guys on a situation with George.”

Vander looked pained, and Ruby lay her hand over his on the table.

“His dad called to tell me that he and George’s mother are getting a divorce. He’s going for full custody of his girls. He told me some stuff that is pretty disturbing and advised me to look into getting full custody of George.”

“What’s happening?” Amber asked softly.

Vander pulled off his glasses and rubbed a rough hand over his face. “It appears as though she’s been going out a lot and leaving George to look after the girls when their dad is away on business. He told me that she screams at George. He agreed that she’s always been tough on him, but in the past year, it’s escalated. He said he stuck it out with her as long as he could for George’s sake but needs to get his girls out of the situation. She told him she wouldn’t give him visiting rights with George. He told me he’s been talking to George, and he thinks George is ready to talk to me. We’d like to fly out on Friday if you can take Jace for the weekend.”

“Of course, absolutely we can take him,” I assured him.

“And anything we can do for George,” Amber added, “let us know. We’re here for all of you.”

Amber

I plopped down on the couch beside my sister and bumped her with my shoulder.

She smiled a small smile and bumped me back.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes… I just hate her. She’s doing this to get back at Vander. Can you imagine?” Ruby clipped. “What kind of mother destroys her kid like that?”

I looked at her and smiled wryly. “Ours?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. With the wedding coming up, and now flying back and forth to look after George, and closing on the house, it’s going to be crazy.”

“Yes,” I agreed. “And it’ll all be good in the end. You’ll see. Are you going with him?”

She made an eek face. “He wants me to. Depending on how many times he goes in the next month, he wants Jace to go, too. I’m thinking to go with him this weekend and send Jace with him the next. This way I can get wedding stuff done, but we’re still supporting George. You know? I don’t want George to think it’s only his dad in his corner. He has me and Jace as well.”

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