Sweet Caroline

#49 Little kids with big questions

"Okay," Gracie said softly. "Maybe."

"How about you talk to them today and you tell me all about it tomorrow?" I smile when she nods. "And if you're too scared to ask them, you can tell me that too. I won't be disappointed, I promise. It can be scary to talk about these things sometimes." My eyes find Rose's green ones and I see she's gazing at me with the same intensity her dad has. "Did you come here to be a good friend to Gracie?" I ask her. "Or is there something you want to talk about too?"

She hesitates, but an iron resolve takes over and she clasps her hands together in her lap. "My mom and dad are divorced."

"I know," I reply, not saying anything else so she can get out what she needs to say.

"Mom..." Rose swallows. "She was dating someone. A boyfriend."

Oh no. If she's gonna bring up the whole Trevor thing, I don't know if I will be able to say the right things.

"Yes," I say when she doesn't go on. "Sometimes when parents get divorced, they date new people."

Rose nods. "I know. Mom and dad explained that to me. But... mommy is no longer dating Trevor, because he's a son of a bitch."

I have to bite my lip not to react to that. This is not the time to laugh, nor to tell her off for cursing. Nathan or Elise must have called him that with Rose within earshot. Rose repeating those words is the least of our worries with everything that happened.

"Do parents ever get back together?" Rose asks, veering in a different direction. "Manny and Tommy want their mom to move back in with them. Can that happen?"

I hesitate. This is a complicated matter no matter who her father is. And the fact that I desperately want her parents to stay divorced because I am dating her dad makes this even more fucked up. Still, I can't let that factor in when I talk to her.

"Yes," I say truthfully. "Sometimes people break up and get back together. But Rose... that doesn't happen very often. When parents get divorced, they usually stay that way."

Gracie's mother walks in at that point, frowning when she sees me talking to her daughter and Rose, all of us looking flushed. "Come on, Gracie," she calls, annoyed. "We've got a dance class to get to!"

Gracie's eyes meet mine and I smile at her, shooting her a wink. "Have a good day, Gracie," I tell her. "We'll talk more tomorrow."

She nods with a very serious expression on her face before running into the hallway to her mother. Rose is still looking at me with those intent emerald eyes, waiting for me to say more.

"Do you want your parents to get back together?" I ask her, feeling sick to my stomach.

She looks appalled at my question. "No!" she says quickly. "Mom is mean when dad's around. She's only sweet when he's gone. I just don't want her to date anyone. Ever."

I open my mouth and close it again, racking my brain for the right response. "Maybe... maybe you should talk to your mother about that," I tell her softly. "Not all boyfriends are like Trevor, Rose. And your mother will never go back to Trevor, I can promise you that."

She nods. "That's what mom said too. She also said that she thinks my dad is dating someone."

Fuck. Please tell me that she's joking. Please tell me that Elise doesn't know!

"How do you feel about that?" I ask, trying to keep my expression neutral.

Rose shrugs and makes a face. "I don't know. It's gross. Mom wants me to ask him about it, but I don't want that."