AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I threw the word abandonment out there, but I’d never leave Eli and Jeff knows that. Jeff wouldn’t do that either. As much of a jerk as he is to me he wouldn’t put Eli at risk.”
“But he’d let your son stay with someone that was sick?” he asked.
He wished he didn’t say that when there was silence on the other end. “I thought of that too. I think he was testing me.”
“Why do you think that?” he asked.
“I could have left Eli as it was the agreement we have. He’d think I wouldn’t fight it. I could just say ‘Sorry, Joe, but I don’t want any issues with Jeff over this. Joe would have taken Eli and kept him in another room for six hours, but I could see he was tired. The fact Joe admitted that he told Jeff not to have Eli dropped off means he didn’t want Eli there.”
“That’s right. So he had to know you’d take Eli home and then he called you, not the other way around. So he was ready to jump down your throat for not following the custody agreement. The question is, do you think he’s trying to find an excuse to amend it again?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “And that is what is bothering me. I just want to let it go and not make the first step. I feel as if it’s playing into his hands if I do that. If that is what he wants.”
“Do nothing if you’re comfortable with that,” he said. “I know you document everything. I’m sure you did again.”
“I did,” she said.
“Then go enjoy Eli for a few days and set it aside for now. Let me know how it goes on Saturday though if you don’t mind.”
“I will. Jeff will be here by five. He already texted me to say that. Normally he comes at six, at the last possible minute.”
“Maybe he’s worried about something,” he said.
“No clue. But I’m going to listen to you and put it from my mind. Thanks for being there.”
“Thanks for trusting me enough to call me,” he said. “I know that was hard for you.”
“It was, but you made me feel better to get it off my chest.”
“Glad I could help,” he said, hanging up the phone.
Now he just had to figure out what was going on with everyone else so they could maybe not have this relationship be so much of a secret.
As much as he’d like to spend time with Eli, he’d like Roni’s ex to know she had a man in her corner now too.
* * *
“Did you get anywhere with Trent?”Diane asked Jami on the phone on Thanksgiving night. She knew Jami was going to call her when her house was empty.
“No,” Jami said. “I brought up work and him spending so much time at that and not getting out much, but he didn’t bite. He’s a smooth talker and manages to get out of it more times than not.”
“I tried too with Raina and Cody when they stopped over. They were only here for about thirty minutes on their way home. I had to ask how everyone was doing so she didn’t catch on, but I didn’t get anywhere.”
It was frustrating that no one had anything right now.
Janine didn’t seem to be getting anywhere. She knew Janine talked to Roni at least once a week, but Roni never said anything of a personal nature. She said Roni never took the bait when Trent’s name was brought up either.
She knew that was the case because she’d been doing her part along with her husband and they were getting nowhere with either Trent or Roni.
“The only thing I can say is that when John and I were in the kitchen cleaning up, the kids were in the living room talking quietly. I tried to hear what was going on, but I must have been too late. Or whatever they were talking about was done. They got louder and it was all about football.”
“That’s suspicious,” she said.
“I thought so,” Jami said. “I tried to ask what was going on, but no one said anything.”
“We’ll get there,” she said. “Have faith.”
“I guess I don’t have much of a choice.”
