Page 11 of Fierce-Trent

She’d been thrilled that with this new job at the first of the year and all the money she’d managed to put away living with her parents, that she finally was able to get her own place.

It wasn’t a home she owned. It was an apartment in a nice safe complex.

There was a community pool, lots of other kids, a common room for families to hold events and a playground with basketball and tennis courts.

And though she might feel out of sorts with the comparison and that she couldn’t match up, she’d never let Eli know that. The soft understanding compassionate approach worked the best with her son to get him to open up. He didn’t get that side with Jeff, she knew.

“It’s boring there,” Eli said.

“What?” she asked. She’d never heard that before. Normally Jeff spoiled Eli for his four days just to make it hard for Eli to want to come home.

Another shot at her. Making her feel as if she couldn’t compete.

“There aren’t any kids by Dad’s house. Not like where we live now. We are missing the pool party for the kids today.”

She looked over and saw Eli’s eyes fill up.

“I’m sorry for that,” she said. “But maybe you should mention that to Dad.”

She hated saying that and didn’t want Jeff to think she was playing any games. She wasn’t. But Eli had to feel as if he was able to voice his concerns.

Just like he’d come back to her over the years saying how much fun he’d had at his father's.

She’d put a smile on her face and acted like she was thrilled for him no matter how much it hurt to hear.

She often wondered if being the mother also meant she was the bad guy in the parent relationship.

It fell to her to make rules more than Jeff. It’s not like he followed them much and she learned to accept it. Or if Jeff did do things like get Eli in bed at a certain time, he made it sound like it washisidea because Eli was better behaved the next day rather than it was a routine she fought hard to establish.

“He gets mad when I say things like that.”

“Like what?” she asked.

“That I don’t like something he does or like it better here. He yells at me. Says I’m ungrateful for everything he gives me.”

Roni ground her teeth. She’d have to talk to Jeff about this. She couldn’t let it go. But it’s not like there was much she could do about it either.

The least her ex should know was that Eli felt he couldn’t say what he wanted or express himself. Maybe Jeff would think back and remember that was one thing he’d confessed to her during their relationship. That his parents treated him the same way.

“Sometimes people have a bad day,” she said. “I’ll make sure your father knows that you need to be able to talk to him as freely as you do me.”

“Don’t,” Eli said quickly.

“Why?” she asked softly.

“It will put him in a bad mood. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

GRRRRR.

“Come here,” she said, opening her arms. “I won’t say anything if it will make you feel uncomfortable there.” At least she wouldn’t today, but she was going to damn well document this conversation like she did everything else.

“Thank you, Mom,” Eli said. “I love you.”

She kissed her son on the forehead and hugged him a little tighter. “I love you too.”

And those words made up for everything she was feeling inside about her ex.

“I’m sorry I said what I did about going to Dad’s.”

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