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Eli had a few bad days because he wanted to bring his here to play and Jeff wouldn’t let it leave his house. She didn’t argue with that though because Eli was too young to be bringing it back and forth and it would surely get broken. Just like his new phone might too, but that wasn’t her problem and she wasn’t going to let it be one.
She’d let Eli bring his phone back and forth if Jeff was willing since he acted as if he was. Then she’d make sure there wasn’t anything on it that shouldn’t be because she didn’t trust Jeff to monitor it that well.
If Jeff wanted Eli to use it to call and text him anytime he wanted, then he’d make sure Eli had it here. She’d just have to be positive nothing happened to it here or she’d never hear the end of it.
“What did Santa get me?” Eli asked. “A game for it?”
“Why don’t you find out?” she said and pushed it over.
Paper went flying while her son was squealing over the newest Mario Kart game he’d wanted too. He hugged and kissed her and though she knew Christmas wasn’t about material possessions, she was glad to be able to give her son something he found exciting.
Pretty soon her living room was cluttered with paper everywhere, her son trying to figure out what to do first.
His Switch was charging before they had to leave for her parents’ house. She knew he got a few more games for it from her family, just like she’d gotten him a few older ones too.
The rest of his gifts were on the smaller price point end. Coloring books, crayons, markers, some clothing and a few smaller toys he’d wanted.
While he was playing with a small Lego kit, she got the rest of the gifts for her family together and started to load them into her car. She’d told her parents she’d be there a little after one if she could and they’d be eating by two. That would give Eli time to open his gifts there, eat, play with them some and bring them back home before she left for Jeff’s.
These were long days spent in the car, but thankfully her parents were only ten minutes away. She was used to this by now and just had to deal with it.
“Are you ready to go?” she asked Eli fifteen minutes later. “I know Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Jax are waiting to see you.”
The two of them got their jackets on and drove to her parents, Jax opening the door for her when she had her arms full of gifts. Even Eli had a few bags in his hands.
“Hey, buddy,” Jax said. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, Uncle Jax. Santa brought me an iPhone at Dad’s and Mom got me a Switch and Santa a game to go with it.”
She looked at her brother and shook her head over the phone gift. She could see he rolled his eyes before he could stop himself.
Eli ran past her brother and toward the living room in the back where the tree was up. He knew the routine.
The voices were loud in the back while Eli talked with her parents. She heard about the phone again and sighed.
“Did you know he was buying that?” Jax asked.
“Nope,” she said. “And it’s not my business what he wants to spend his money on. He said it was so Eli could text and call him when he wanted. I was bad and asked if it was so Eli couldn’t see what was on Jeff’s phone when he wanted to call me.”
“Good for you,” Jax said. “What was his response?”
“He smirked like he always does and said I was jealous that he had a life and I didn’t.”
“You do have a life though,” Jax said quietly. “The question is when are you going to let him know?”
She could hear Eli asking if they could open gifts and said, “Trent is telling his parents today. I’m not ready for Eli or Jeff to know. It’s too soon for Eli since Trent will be the first man I’ve dated since Jeff and I split. And it’s none of Jeff’s business. It’s not like I ask about his girlfriends. He tells me in hopes to get a rise out of me. I could care less what he thinks.”
“Good attitude to have,” Jax said. “And nice necklace.”
“Figured you’d notice that,” she said, smiling. “Merry Christmas to you, by the way.”
Jax leaned down and kissed her cheek. “The same to you.”
Hours later she returned Eli to Jeff’s house. Eli was yawning in the back seat. “Jenna’s still here,” Eli said. “I thought she’d be gone.”
Guess that was the other car in the driveway. This was the first time she’d dropped Eli off and Jenna had been around. It felt like today was the day for her to get smacked in the face with things, but she was going to be damned if she would let any of it bother her.
Eli got out of the car. She did too. She’d hoped the door would open before she got there and Eli could go in, but of course not.
