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Hours later he was back home and on the couch with the TV on. He wasn’t watching it, more so waiting for Roni to call him.
She’d be home any minute, he was guessing.
When his phone rang, he grabbed it off the counter on the first ring, saw it was her, and said, “Hello. How did it go today?”
“That was going to be my question to you,” she said.
“It went well, but I’d rather hear about your day with Eli. Was he excited about his Switch?”
“He was,” she said. “But of course he ran into the house with Jeff standing there to announce Santa gave him a new iPhone for Christmas. And as you know, Santa only gave him one game at my house.”
He frowned. “I’m not surprised about that. It seems as if Jeff is always trying to one-up you. How do you explain that to a kid though?”
“Easy enough. I just tell him that Santa shouldn’t be giving him two big gifts. That isn’t fair to all the other kids. And that since his father likes everything to be over the top, that the bigger gift was always left there.” She was laughing on the other end.
“You said that to him?”
“Not this year,” she said. “I have in the past. Whether he remembers it or not, I don’t know. It used to hurt me badly when Jeff did that, but I’ve realized it’s never going to change. I’ve got the right things and responses out of my son.”
“That’s right,” he said. “The important things. I’m sure Jeff had some comment about the phone?”
“He did. Made a point to say he’s paying for it, so if he doesn’t care that a seven-year-old might lose or break it, it’s on him. He also said he wants Eli to be able to call and text him anytime he wants. I guess I was snarky and shouldn’t have been.”
“What did you say back to him?”
“I asked if he didn’t want Eli to see things on his phone when he calls me. Eli has made comments in the past that Jeff hates letting Eli touch his phone. He doesn’t want him to delete or mess something up.”
“Most kids are better on phones than adults,” he said.
“I know that but didn’t say anything. Then he told me not to be jealous because he has a life and I don’t.”
“You’ve got a life,” he said.
“I do. One I’m enjoying. Which is why more snarkiness came out when I dropped Eli off and got to meet the new girlfriend. I wasn’t rude, don’t worry.”
“It’s not my problem if you are rude, but you don’t have it in you to be anyway. What happened?”
“It was like the day to hit me with stuff and see if I’ll react. I’m starting to think that’s what it’s all about with Jeff.”
“I thought you knew that already,” he said.
He’d figured the guy out fairly quickly himself.
“I did. I guess I just thought he’d grow up and cut the crap, but he never does. When I brought Eli back, he didn’t sound happy to see Jenna’s car in the driveway.”
“Does he ever say anything about Jenna?” he asked.
“No. Just that Jenna tries to play with him, but he always ends up having to watch Carly,” she said.
“You’ve said before he isn’t always happy with that,” he said.
“No. But that is just a kid being a kid, is my guess. Jenna ended up opening the door. I saw Jeff behind her in the other room. He had his shit-eating smirk on his face with Carly on his lap. Like he thought I’d be bothered or something.”
“We know you wouldn’t be,” he said. “Or you would have made a point to not let them know.”
She laughed. “You’re right. She was cordial. Said that Eli says a lot of nice things about me. I said that was nice to hear. Eli gave me a hug and kiss and when I went to leave, she followed me onto the porch.”
“Oh boy,” he said. “I bet I can guess where this is going.”
