Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43536 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43536 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
“Yes, let me help you grab the groceries,” she offers. I shake my head, moving to the kitchen and placing them on the counter.
“You off-load the food. I’ll grab it from the car. No need for us both to be out in the heat.” I’m not getting into the fact about her vehicle and the issues that needed to be handled. Tyra will figure it out when she gets in next. Hopefully, it’ll lighten her load and allow her to see the changes I’m willing and able to make.
“Okay, fine, but tell me the total, and I’ll send you the money.” I ignore her. No fucking way am I going to take her money. What she asked for child support is nothing. I even tried to fight to give her more, but it didn’t work. It’s why I make sure anytime there’s a way I can help, I do.
“Not worried about it. Hey, by the way, Von isn’t going to have medical or dental insurance for the next week or so. I’ve got to meet with a new health insurance company to get that set up,” I tell her before I forget.
“They didn’t offer you coverage until your next pay day?” Tyra’s shocked. Believe me, I was too. I could have pushed it, made it worse for the company I was working at, but a clean break was what I was after.
“I got a severance package, a good one at that, but it required losing insurance. It’s not a big deal and should only be a week or two at most. If he needs the doctor or there’s an emergency, I’ll cover it,” I explain. Cutting ties with them after working there for ten years was the best thing I could have done and should have done probably five years ago.
“I’m glad you left. They really fucked up letting you go.” That response, she always did know what was best, not just for herself but also me.
“Me too. Left a little too late. Be right back, siren,” I tell her, needing to get the groceries out of the car. She’ll want to get Von seeing as how it’s going on noon, and I have one more question to ask. Hopefully, it won’t upset her or make Tyra feel like I’m taking over. I put the second load on the counter, this time not talking. She’s busy placing things in the fridge and freezer, so I grab the last load, shut the trunk, lock her car, and do the same.
“I miss my bigger kitchen,” Tyra admits, looking at me. This time, I’m the one confused because she hated the house I recently sold. “Not the last kitchen. The one before that in our first home.”
“Ah, yeah, that house had a lot of great memories. The layout wasn’t half bad either, though the neighborhood has gone to complete shit now,” I tell her.
“You’ve been by lately?” she asks, a hopeful gleam in her eye.
“Yeah, and trust me, siren, you don’t want to see what the owners have done to the place. It looks completely different, inside and out. It was sold twice since we put it up for sale. Maybe the new people will fix it for the better, but right now, it’s a wreck.” I don’t even go into detail on how they demolished the kitchen after we had replaced it with new cabinets, granite countertops, and light fixtures. That was Tyra’s labor of love, and I was the fool who convinced her to leave it. The writing was on the wall, houses were being bought, flipped, and then turned into rentals. She didn’t see it. The only thing Tyra saw was the memories we made there.
“That’s too bad.” The melancholy in her voice eats at me.
“You’ll have another home one day.” This time when that happens, I’m going to make sure she really likes the place, is happy, and it’s a place the three of us are building together, hopefully with one or two more children as well.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I hand her the groceries so she can put them away in the pantry, emptying the boxes of snacks in a plastic container that Von can reach.
“Hey, question, would you be okay with me picking up Von from my parents? I know it’s your weekend and you promised to take him to the park, and I’m an asshole for encroaching on it, but I’d like to tell him I moved and beg him for forgiveness.” Tyra looks at me like I’ve grown another head. I’m unsure if she’ll say yes or not. She’s quiet, almost too quiet. We still put things away, each of us staying silent, me allowing her the time to get her thoughts in order. Meanwhile, I’m second-guessing even asking. I know, for the foreseeable future, this will be me showing Tyra the many ways I’m changing, and if she says no, I’ll just have to bide my time.