Back to the birthday party.
I heard her voice at the party. The woman that looks nothing like me standing next to my Ex-husband. Her fluid Spanish reminded me of his grandfather. May he rest in peace. When she spoke English, the words had that Cuban flair that just romanced each letter. It brought images of his father laughing and lifting Sim in the air, telling her stories in Spanish. Little baby's mouth missing teeth and giggles as she mouths the Spanish words back at him when Sim was a baby.
The woman put her creamy hand on Theo's back as he talked to my son. He towered over the little man. Her face scrunches up at whatever Theo said. She looked ready to pop with her hand over her belly protectively. Theo reaches down and takes the cape off Ade. It falls to the ground, hanging in the air for just a second. Ade looks up at his father. His lower lip quivers. But the tears I know he wants to cry don't come down. Big boys don't cry at their birthday party, huh my baby boy. Little Man turns and walks to walk after his dad. She moves down to his level. Her pregnant belly ready to pop any second, then pick up his cape. Her hands carefully wrap the cape around his shoulders. I hold my breath. Then she touches his head and points at his sister playing a new game of football with the other kids at the party. He looks over and runs to the new game instead of following his dad. She watches him run away.
Twists and turns of emotions I can't even name run through me. This woman with my child, he cheated on me with her, my ex-husband again trying to make my son into someone he's not. The moment was long, so goddamn long. I hold my breath as I look at her. Then finally minutes later her eyes came up. My stomach turns as our eyes meet.
"Hey, I'm Tari, we haven't met." I stretch out my hand, helping her up.
"Alexa," she pauses, it is hard for the both of us. I grasp blindly at the right words.
"Welcome to our family," I let go. I didn't give in to the ugly battle in my heart. I didn't even try to go down that path. This woman, like or not, is family. She will be treated as such and doing passive-aggressive dumb games is beneath me.
***
Theo was watching the football game, unhappiness was written all over his face. The beer in his hands was not even open. I didn't want to have this conversation at the party or in front of people. I doubt I'm going to get a choice, though.
"Stop trying to change Ade." I wanted it to stop. I wanted him to accept whoever he's becoming. It's not hurting anyone, and it makes him happy. Its capes are a phase and even if it's not. He doesn't have to be Theo's ideal. Ade just has to be perfectly himself.
"I'm not trying to change him." This is an old argument. Theo picks it up and puts it on like a well-worn shoe.
"When you mess with his cape..." I'm at a loss for words. "He already wants to be like you in some ways, just not every day."
"If he doesn't stop that, he'll get picked on."
"So, what? If he gets picked on, he can talk to one of us." I never understood Theo's fear of being seen as different. "Theo, we are going to need to make this family work. You and I fighting aren't going to make it work. You have your life. I have mine but we still have an us like it or not. Both of them are going to be whoever they want to be. No amount of pushing is going to change that."
"You should quit this job," well, that was a non sequitur from him.
"See, that's where we run into yours and mine. I can do whatever I want we are divorced. I am also not going to entertain this conversation." My eyes tell him he crossed a line and I walk away from him.
That is two battles that are complete wars. If he fucks with my kids one more time, I'm taking him to court.
A/n:
Thank you uni, Steph, and Clarity for welcoming me back the support is like writing mana from heaven.