Page 45 of Roll With The Punches
She held a hand out. “Thankyou.That’swhatI’vebeen saying.”
“Is it possible your mom doesn’t know about all of that?”
“No! Because twice during dish rewashing episodes, she was standing right there and didn’t say anything. Another time, she walked down the hall when he was ripping me a new one for how my bed was made. She knowsexactlywhat he’s done, and this isn’t stuff that used to happen before she married him, either.”
She shook her head. “If Mom was strict on me, okay, fine, I can deal with that if she’s consistent, like you are. But she’s not, and she’d let Pat go changing things just to suit him. He keeps moving the goalpost just to screw with me. Early on, I once did what you’d suggested about making the bed. I asked him, okay,showme how you want it done. He did. I did itexactlythat way, and hestilldinged me for it. Yet the Goober can just pull his blanket up and say, done, and he skates. Double standard.”
Brandon had heard hints of stuff like this going on, but he’d gone out of his way to walk a fine line between righteous indignation and trying to suggest ways for Emma to get along with her stepfather, plus trying to stay out of parenting Emma while she was in their home.
This, however, was far worse than he’d thought.
He sat on the end of the bed. “If you don’t want to go this weekend, I’ll call your mom and tell her. Everything you just told me, and tell her if she doesn’t like it, she can take me to court.”
Emma wouldn’t look at him, at first. He let the silence lie between them while she worked it out in her head.
“I just want,” she quietly said, “for her to stand up formefor a change, instead of standing up for Pat. Igetit, she’s insecure. She’s scared of losing him and going through another massive change in her life. That doesn’t mean she should sacrifice me or my emotional health for her own comfort.”
“That wasn’t an answer, sweetheart.”
“I’ll go. But don’t be shocked if I’m back tonight.” A playful smile filled her face. “Keep your phone ringer on. If I do bail tonight, I’ll call before I come home to warn you guys.”
Emma had always been wise beyond her years.
“Honest question—do youreallylike Jeff and Stuart?”
“Yes, because they’re great. Ilovethem, seriously. Theyaremy step-dads. Itellpeople they’re my step-dads, and I just call Pat Pat. They’re not like Pat. And they defer to you. You’re in charge, you’re the final authority. They don’t try to step in and pretend to be my parents, but I know I can count on them as if they were. I don’t expect them to be my best friends or anything, but…”
She seemed to need another moment to think about how to phrase it. “I cancounton them,” she repeated. “I know that if I was ever in a situation where you weren’t there, I could call either one of them, before I even called Mom, and they’d be there and have my back for me. Like Jeff and my tire. Or even big things.”
She scooted closer to him. “I’veneverbeen able to count on Pat. Ever. After Mom married him, I even tried to ask him for help with my homework, to try to do something with him, and he blew me off. But if the Goober needs help wiping his ass? Oh, Pat’s all up in that to help him and kiss Goober’s ass. Trying to score brownie points with him.”
Another long, quiet moment. “I think he’s trying to get full custody of Goober so he doesn’t have to pay his ex child support anymore. I heard him talking to Mom about it.”
“I thought he did have full custody?”
“No, Goober’s been going to his mom’s house a couple of days a week. Pat hasn’t dragged her back into court yet, and apparently she threatens him if he doesn’t pay.”
Wow. He pondered his response and made a mental note to chew Tracey out for them having those kinds of conversations around Emma. “I’m sorry you have to deal with all of that.”
“Yeah, well, it’s another reason I love living with you. It’s drama-free here. My stomach doesn’t tighten in the bad way anymore when I’m coming home like it used to when I was going to Mom’s. You’re in charge, what you say goes, and I never hear Jeff and Stu trying to change your mind about stuff when it comes to me. I know that whatever your rules are, they will stick to those and not try to make new ones, or move the goalposts.”
Brandon hoped his face hadn’t turned red. It sure felt like he was blushing.
She’d hit way too close to the truth. They’d explained to her the men’s use of “Sir” as them just being polite and respectful, although he suspected Emma hadn’t totally bought that excuse.
“We have a…dynamic that works for us,” he said. “They defer to me. Part of them moving in was them agreeing that I’m your father, and this ismyhouse, and they’re subject to the rules of my house the same way you are. And that while I hoped they’d come to love you as a daughter, you aremydaughter, and whatIsay is law.”
She snorted. “Sure, Dad.” She stood to finish packing.
“What?”
“Nothing.” But she wore an evil smile.
“No, what? Say it.”
She leveled a gaze at him. “I might be a kid, but I’m not achild.”
“What?”
