The Harbour...Chapter 48: Agreement
“I have feelings for Kyle too..."
"...But they’re not the warm and fuzzy kind,” she said, with a humourless smile.
She really did not need to hear this from her ex-husband’s father that he was still harbouring feelings for her.
Her eyes darkened.
“But seriously Brandon,” she said, her voice hard and tight.
“Surely I can’t be expected to adjust my life to accommodate the feelings of a man who cheated on me for the better part of 25 years, to whom I gave more than one chance to make our relationship work, and who I eventually found in our bed having sex with another woman.”
Brandon inhaled sharply. He had assumed their marriage had ended because Carolyn had had enough of his son’s infidelity, but he had no idea she had actually caught him with another woman.
A pained expression flitted across his face.
“Carolyn,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. “I had no idea.”
“The fewer people who knew the details, the less likely they were to make the tabloids,” she said matter-of-factly.
“For the sake of the children,” she added quickly, as though wanting to make it clear that for her part, she was apathetic.
Brandon shook his head again. His eyebrows knitted.
“I just don’t understand that boy,” he muttered, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, his chin resting on his hands. He stared absently at a spot on the chocolate-coloured carpet.
She smiled despite the tone of the conversation, at Brandon referring to Kyle as a boy. He was forty two, a year older than she was.
“Look, Brandon, Kyle’s issues and feelings, are only my problem because they are threatening to disrupt my children’s lives,” she said softly, but firmly.
“My interest ends there.”
“I agree with you completely,” he replied, with a wan smile.
The creases in forehead and around his eyes seemed more distinct tonight. He still didn’t look his age, which Carolyn guessed was about 65, the same as her father’s, but suddenly he looked older, or maybe she’d just not noticed them before.
“Look,” she said gently, turning the conversation back to what he had come to the house to see her about.
“I want in writing from Kyle’s lawyer, that he will make no further attempt to change the custody arrangement that we have. In spite of what he has tried to do, I will not seek to make changes either. We share custody, but this is their primary residence. He can see the children whenever he wants in consultation with me, as long as it doesn’t interfere with school and...” she paused.
“And they can go on the trip with you this summer. But, I expect to get in writing that he will never, ever,” she emphasized. “Make a move to change the arrangement.”
“You’ll have it by the end of the day tomorrow,” Brandon promised.
“If I have to go and sit in the lawyer’s office myself until it is done, you will have it.”
“Thank you, Brandon,” she said softly.
She was reaching over to place her hand on his forearm. When they were startled by a sharp tap on the door.
It swung open before Carolyn had a chance to respond.
Maya stood in the door with the seemingly ever-present Charlie in tow and a tall, tanned boy, with a shock of sun-bleached, blonde hair.
Carolyn remembered him being at Maya’s birthday party a couple of weeks ago. Was it only two weeks? So much had happened since then.
“Hi Mom, Hiiii grandpa!” Maya said in a sing song voice, smiling broadly, obviously pleased to see Brandon.
The revelation three years ago that Kyle was not her biological father had not changed her relationship with him or his father. Kyle was Daddy, Brandon was Grandpa and that was that.
“Hi Maya!” He said, returning her warm smile. “Hi boys,” he added.
“Mom, grandpa, this is Matt,” she said.
“We’re going steady!”
