Page 16 of Starting Over with You
Laughter barks out of me at the nickname my sister, my best friend, and I have. It was Sadie’s brother who started calling us that. He was always the one we called to drive us home after whatever drunken activities we found ourselves in. We got the name, though, after crashing a senior party and getting into a fight with some guy’s girl who Missy was all up on.
It was wild and so much fun.
“We’re all moms now. I doubt we can be called Shenanigans Inc. anymore. More like Boring Moms Who Like to Crochet.”
“No way!” Flint complains. “Get your shirts out and remind that town all about Shenanigans Inc.!”
“Yeah!” Ash cheers, like he’s getting pumped for a game. “Y’all better be wearing your shirts when we get there.”
My heart swells, and my eyes start to sting again. “Christmas break is a long time away.”
“We’ve got this,” Ash guarantees, his voice full of emotion. “It’ll go quick.”
“I’ll see you guys for the first game. Maybe I’ll bring the girls.”
They both cheer at that. “Yes, and Matt. I love Uncle Matt,” Flint says.
“Maybe we can meet this new uncle of ours,” Ash suggests, and I scoff. I still can’t believe Missy married Nyle Farnsworth. He was such a creep, and she knew she was wrong since she didn’t even tell Sadie and me until after she did it. I’m actually dreading staying with them, but my house won’t be ready until the end of August. “We’ll see if I can get the whole crew on a plane.” The boys are excited, and even though I know I shouldn’t, I ask, “Will y’all do half your break here and half with your father?”
I’m met with silence, and my stomach turns. I shouldn’t have asked, but I let my ugly insecurities get the best of me. “Not sure. We kind of got into it with him last night,” Flint admits. “Did you know we got money if you left Dad?”
I press my lips together. “Yes.”
I hear a fist hit the steering wheel, and then Ash says, “Mom, we’d rather you were happy.”
I wipe away a stray tear. “I was happy as long as I was with you two,” I admit, my voice rough. I feel like I need to pull over to puke. With how slow traffic is going into Knoxville, I probably wouldn’t even need to pull over. “What did he say?”
“He blamed me for everything going to hell because he thinks I told you,” Flint answers, and anger bubbles in my chest. I want to scream that I told him how I found out, not to listen to him. Stratford is just mad he lost a lot of money that he doesn’t need and that I left him instead of him leaving me. I don’t say that, though. I swallow past the lump in my throat. “I’m sorry, boys. He is a good dad, and I hope this doesn’t come between y’all.”
I’m not sure who scoffs, but one of them does, before Ash says, “He started a whole-ass family outside ours, Mom. He hurt the one woman who deserves the world. I don’t know if you can keep saying he’s a good dad.”
I wipe away another tear and squeeze the steering wheel. “He doesn’t deserve us,” Flint adds, and my lip quivers.
“We know who’s raised us, who’s been there, and who loves us.”
I close my eyes, praying I don’t hit anything as I inhale deeply. “Did he say when you two would sign the paperwork?”
“No, but we didn’t ask,” Ash says. “I will next time I talk to him.”
“We want to give you some?—”
“You can’t,” I say, cutting Flint off. “The way this works is we’re both out the money because the marriage ended.” The boys are quiet as I continue. “Make sure you read everything, and whatever you don’t understand, ask questions.”
“But will you be okay?” Flint asks hesitantly.
“We still have our NIL money, Mom. We can help,” Ash offers, but I’m already shaking my head.
“That’s your money. You two use it the way we said, to pay for school and living. Equipment. You worked hard for that.”
“But you supported us. You haven’t worked this whole time.” The emotion in Flint’s voice has my heart tripping over itself.
“I’m fine,” I promise. “I will be fine.”
And I will.
When everything went down, I immediately restarted my accounting program, but I decided to move to market research analysis. I could get that degree completed in the least amount of time and start making money. I was able to work around the boys’ schedules, and the best thing about my job is it’s remote. Stratford had no clue I started working, and I’ve been able to save one hell of a nest egg. Missy, being Missy, has already lined up interviews for me with the businesses of Thistlebrook. I have clients and I do well, but I would have to earn more to buy my own home. I’m stayingwith Missy until the house I’m renting is ready. If I work hard enough, my next Christmas with the boys could be in my own home.
“I don’t like this,” Ash admits. “It feels wrong.”
