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He looks between the two of us. "I think she seems very happy any time she gets to play with Penelope," he says smoothly, though it is short lived when Valeria dives in, trying to drag him down memory road again.
But Rendal makes a visible effort to include me in the activities with the kids. He stands, walking over to where the girls are building a sandcastle, his eyes meeting mine with an apologetic smile.
"Hey Chloe, come join us. We could use your artistic touch on this castle," he says, patting the sand beside him.
I smile gratefully and start to move towards them, but Valeria quickly interjects.
"Oh, I've got a great idea for the tower! Zola, remember how we used to make those fancy spires at the beach?"
She smoothly slides into the space Rendal had cleared for me, effectively blocking my path. I pause, unsure of how to proceed without causing a scene.
Rendal frowns slightly, then turns to me. "Chloe, why don't you and Penelope start on the moat? We'll make it a competition - see who can build the best part of the castle."
I nod, appreciating his attempt to involve me. "Sounds fun! What do you say, Penelope? Want to make the best moat ever?"
Penelope jumps up excitedly. "Yeah! Let's do it, Mom!"
As we start digging, I can't help but notice Valeria's constant attempts to monopolize Rendal and Zola's attention. She keeps bringing up old memories, effectively excluding me from the conversation.
Rendal tries to steer the talk towards more inclusive topics. "Hey, maybe we could all go for ice cream after this? There's a great new place that opened up nearby."
Before I can respond, Valeria chimes in. "Oh, that reminds me of that little ice cream shop we used to take Zola to when she was a toddler. Remember, Rendal? She'd always get chocolate all over her face."
I can see Rendal's frustration growing, but he's clearly trying to keep things civil for the girls' sake. He catches my eye and gives me a reassuring smile.
"That sounds great," I say, forcing a cheerful tone. "Though it's getting late. But I know a perfect spot for a picnic nearby. Maybe we could make it a whole day out of it soon."
Valeria's smile tightens. "Well, I'm sure Zola would love to spend some quality time with just her parents. Wouldn't you, sweetie?"
I feel my heart sink, but I keep my focus on building the moat with Penelope. I don't want my tension with Valeria to spoil the girls' fun.
Rendal clears his throat. "Actually, I think it would be great if we all went together. The girls have so much fun playing with each other."
But that does nothing to deter Valeria.
As we finally arrive back at my house, I feel a wave of relief wash over me. The day has been exhausting, both emotionally and physically. Rendal and I settle onto the porch swing, the gentle creaking of the chains a soothing backdrop to the evening's quiet.
I take a deep breath, gathering my courage. "Rendal, we need to talk about what happened today."
He turns to me, his blue eyes filled with concern. "I know, Chloe. I'm sorry about Valeria showing up like that."
I nod, feeling a lump form in my throat. "It's not just today, Rendal. It's... it's everything. I don't know how much more I can take of Valeria being around all the time."
My voice cracks slightly, and I hate how vulnerable I sound. But I need to be honest with him.
"Every time we try to have a moment together, she's there. It's like she's purposely trying to come between us."
Rendal takes my hand in his, his touch warm and comforting. His expression is serious as he looks into my eyes. "Chloe, I promise you, I'm going to talk to her. This can't continue."
I feel a glimmer of hope at his words, but I'm still wary. "What are you going to say?"
"I'm going to make it clear that her behavior is unacceptable," Rendal says firmly. "She needs to understand that while she'll always be Zola's mother, our relationship is over. And she needs to respect the boundaries of our new family dynamic."
I squeeze his hand. "Thank you, Rendal. I just... I need to know that we're in this together. That you're committed to us."
"We are." He leans in and presses a quick kiss on my cheek. "I promise. I'll talk to her."
CHAPTER 16
