I had just finished up my last billing for Howard, Hendrix, and O'Brien when the phone rang. Ugh, Michael! Didn't he have a new wife he could be bothering instead of me? I hadn't contacted him yet about his new father-in-law's position on the issue of deadbeat parents, so he couldn't be calling about money. Temptation rose to let it go to voicemail, but I knew it would drive me crazy and I'd have to know what he wanted.
"Hello, may I help you?"
"It's me." Michael spoke in a low tone. "Why'd you answer the phone that way?"
"I'm running my bookkeeping business from home now. What is it you need, Michael? I have things to do." Why couldn't the ship have sunk? No, I didn't mean it. I don't want anything bad to happen to my kids' father.
"I got a call from Matthew late last night. He says he wants to move in with me."
My heart sunk. Did he hate me that bad? Could I be such a terrible mother that my own son wanted to abandon me?
"Deb, are you there?"
"I'm here." My voice quivered. "What did you tell him?"
"I told him I needed to speak with you."
I sucked in a deep breath. I had to think of Matthew and what was best for him. "Let me let this sink in. I'll call you back in a bit."
"There's nothing to sink in. I can't have him move in with me. It's no way to start off a marriage with some teenage boy hanging around."
My sorrow became anger in a split second.
Michael continued. "You need to tell him you won't let him go or something. I can't be having the boy moving in and messing things up over here."
I swallowed hard. "No, Michael. If you don't want him to move in with you, you're going to have to be the one to tell him. You're his father. It's time to act like it. He gets home at 3:30."
"What? I can't believe you're making me do this."
"And if you make this out to be my fault, I'll call you back while he's standing there and let you know it's okay for him to come live with you. So you'd better come up with a better excuse than me."
I slammed the phone down on the cradle. How dare he not want his son? This should have been good news for me. I didn't want Matthew to go in the first place. However, I knew the pain it would cause my boy.
The rest of the day trudged by until the sound of the front door told me school had let out. Matthew and Anthony rode the same bus. Sarah would be coming within an hour when Scarlett dropped her off.
"Mom, Mom!" Anthony rushed in. "I got an A on my report on Alexander Hamilton."
"That's wonderful. How was school for you, Matthew?"
"No big deal." He shrugged.
I jumped when the phone rang. Anthony picked it up.
"Hello?…Hi Dad. Guess what? I got an A on my report in school today!…Oh, okay." He handed the phone to Matthew. "He wants to talk to you."
Anthony walked over to me and put his arm around my waist. I gave him a squeeze around the shoulders. I wanted to listen in on the conversation between Matthew and his father, but Matthew headed back to his room. "I'm proud of you," I said to Anthony. "You worked hard on that report and it paid off."
"Can I call Brandon later and tell him?"
"Sure."
I glanced over at Matthew's closed bedroom door. Maybe I should have just told him I wouldn't let him go. It might have hurt him less.
CRASH!
My breath rushed from me. I raced to Matthew's door. Please God, don't let him be hurt. I tried the knob, but it was locked. "Matthew, are you all right?" I knocked and got no answer. "Matthew!"
"I'm fine," a small voice said.
"Let me in. Now."
My breathing slowly returned to normal while I waited in the hallway. A second or two later, Matthew clicked the lock. His table lamp lay in pieces on the floor. A large hole gaped at me from the wall. I glared down at my son. I wanted to tear his head off until I saw tears standing in his eyes.
"Man, I can't believe you poked a hole in the wall." Anthony held his hand over his mouth.
"Anthony, please leave me alone to talk with your brother."
"Okay." He gave Matthew a worried glance, and then closed the door behind him.
"Are you all right?" Stupid question, but what else could I say?
"I'm fine." Matthew smacked a hand across his eyes. He sat with his knees up against his chest and he faced the wall.
"Your dad called me earlier. He said you wanted to move in with him."
"Don't worry. He doesn't want me." Matthew's voice lowered to a whisper. "No one does."
I swallowed hard to keep from crying as I walked over to his bed and sat down next to him. He didn't need a weepy woman right now. He needed me to be strong. I pulled his chin so he had to look at me. "I want you." I wiped my finger across his cheek, catching a tear that straggled down his cheek.
"No you don't. You've got Brandon now. You don't need me."
"Don't need…?" Tears filled my eyes. "When your father told me you asked to move in with him, I heard a loud thud from my heart hitting the floor."
Matthew stared at the wall behind me.
"I know this has been hard for you. I'm sure at times it feels as if he left not only me, but you as well. I pray one day he realizes it. But until that time, you'll always have me." His lip quivered, and I pulled him into a hug. "I love you, Matthew."
"Even when I'm being a pain?"
"Even when you're being a pain."
He raised himself off my shoulder. "I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I just don't understand why he doesn't love me anymore."
"He still loves you. I just don't think your dad knows how to act right now." I brushed Matthew's hair from his eyes. "I'm sure one day he'll come around. You just have to be patient."
He nodded.
I kissed him on the forehead, and then looked down at the mess on the floor. "Why don't you get the big pieces, and I'll grab the vacuum." I rose from the bed and walked to the door.
"Mom?" Matthew wiped his tear-stained face. "I love you too."
My heart wanted to yell hurrah! I chose to keep it inside. Why push my luck?
****
"You're becoming quite the fashion designer, aren't you?" I touched the gauze fabric of the dress Sarah wore. She had made it for her final home economics project.
"Ms. Summers says I'm a natural. She wants me to take her advanced class next year."
"Wow. That's great." I hugged her. It was nice to see her happy. She hadn't mentioned Wes, the boy she liked, for a few weeks. I assumed that crush had passed. Now some football player had her attention. Thank goodness I wouldn't allow her to date until next year when she turned fifteen. That gave me another year before I had to have a heart attack over a boy taking my daughter out in his vehicle.
A car screeched to a halt out front. I gulped down my trepidation. How does Michael always know when I have plans? He must have gotten the letter I'd sent out. Rachel had suggested I wait to confront Michael about the child support until after the wedding, so I'd have the leverage of a father-in-law instead of a girlfriend's dad. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. Now I almost wished I hadn't done anything. My heart pounded as he pulled himself from the Corvette. He slammed the door and glared up at the house.
Sarah folded her arms across her chest. "I wonder what he wants now."
"Finish getting ready. Brandon and the boys will be home from the football game soon." I didn't want her to be part of the argument I knew her father and I were about to have.
Once Sarah was out of the room, I gave myself a pep talk. "Don't fall apart. He owes this money. It's the kids' money, not yours. You're fighting for them."
Michael tried to storm in, but I'd been keeping the front door locked. I counted to three and then opened it. "Come in, Michael."
"Who do you think you are?" He shoved past me and marched into the living room.
"I just want what you owe, nothing more. In fact, I came up with new child support figures. If you pay according to this, you'll be caught up within five years."
"I don't care what you came up with."
"You and I both know you're making money somewhere." I worked to keep my voice calm. "You might even be working for the senator under the table. I really don't care. But you owe me over forty-thousand dollars, and I want it. The kids will be going to college soon, and I need money to see to it they can."
"Do you think you can scare me?"
I placed on hand on my hips. "If you don't start paying every month, I'll contact the senator and let him know you're a deadbeat dad. If that doesn't get your butt moving, I'll contact his opponents and the newspapers about your arrearage."
Michael's eyes grew dark. "You stupid little…! Did you think you could threaten me, and I'd just bow to what you wanted? Even your own father doesn't want anything to do with you. Heck, your son doesn't even want to live with you, yet you stand there acting like you're better than me."
"I didn't say I was better than you. I just want you to step up and get current. That's all."
"With the new paint job you've had done on the house, it doesn't look like you're hurting for money."
"I work hard to make a living for us. And it doesn't matter whether I need it or not. You are their father and you owe it."
"If you think you can tell me what to do, you're wrong. I did what I wanted when we were married, and you sure aren't going to push me around now."
"Michael, just give me the money." I sighed. Why did I think this would be easy? "Don't make me go to the senator or the papers."
"If you say anything to Senator Windsome, you'll be sorry." Michael grabbed my arms above my elbows. "You didn't honestly think I would put up with this, did you?"
"Let go of her!" I jumped at the sound of Sarah's voice. I hadn't realized she'd come back into the room.
Michael released me. He spit his venom toward our daughter as he advanced on her. "Don't you start telling me what to do either, little girl."
"I think you need to leave." I grabbed his arm. He shoved it away.
"I'll leave when I want, and no stupid woman or kid of mine is going to tell me different."
Tears formed in Sarah's eyes. Why couldn't I be holding a frying pan in my hands at this moment? "Get out of here, now!" I pointed to the front door. Gravel crunched in the driveway and a car door slammed. "You have exactly two weeks to make your first payment. Now go."
"I'll leave when I'm ready. Don't forget, these are my children, not your boyfriend's."
"Then start acting like it."
The slap came so quickly, it caught me off guard. Tears formed in my eyes from the sting.
A deep voice came from the front door. "The lady said for you to leave. Now leave."
Michael spun to face Brandon. Both men were the same height, but Brandon had more muscle. He took a step into the living room. His eyes bored through Michael. "I said leave, before I make you leave." He clenched his fists into tight balls.
Michael reared his shoulders back. "What goes on between me and my family is none of your business."
"Caring for this woman makes it my business, and I plan to stay until she tells me to go." Brandon took a step closer to Michael. In a low voice, he said, "Now I suggest you go before I have to embarrass you in front of your children."
Fear crossed into Michael's eyes. He pulled his keys from his pocket and walked to the front door. He paused and glanced at Matthew, who held the door open for him to leave. His son shook his head and frowned. Once he left, Anthony rushed up to me.
"Mom, are you all right?" Tears rolled down his cheeks. "I got scared. I didn't know what to do when I heard him hit you. I ran back and got Brandon to help."
"You did good. Thank you." I knelt and he placed his small hand on my sore cheek. I pulled him into a hug.
"Are you going to be all right?" Brandon asked. His soft eyes filled with concern. With the anger gone, distress stood in its place.
Warmth rushed through me at how much he cared. "I'm going to be just fine. We're all going to be fine." I gave Matthew a smile, and he returned it. "Are you all ready to eat? I'm starving."
"I have to use the bathroom first," Anthony said. "I drank too much cola."
"Me too." Matthew followed Anthony down the hall. They talked about a great throw that had occurred during the game. Something inside told me it was big brother helping little brother feel better.
Sarah gave me a weak smile. "I'm going to brush my hair. I'll be right out."
"Sarah." I took hold of her hand. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah. I'd never seen him act like that. It just scared me." She squeezed my hand before she walked off.
Brandon took a step toward me, and I fell into his embrace. As hard as I tried, I couldn't fight the sobs. Everything felt so right with his arms around me. "Did you mean what you said?" My heart continued to beat in my ears. "That you'd stay, as long as I want you to?"
"Yes, Deb. I meant it. You had my heart the first day you fell for me."
I laughed. I knew at that moment I'd fallen in love.
****
Brandon took me to Vinegard's Seafood Restaurant on the ocean in Fernandina Beach. We had a window view, and I listened as waves splashed against the empty shore, deserted due to the February chill. We sat at a small table, Brandon in a chair to my right. Tealight candles flickered, giving the room a romantic feel. I'd never been to such a beautiful place.
It had been a great week. My home business had grown so well, I'd told Tommy at the used car lot I'd only work for him as a freelancer. He'd agreed. It wasn't quite the tell-him-off scenario I'd always pictured, but why burn that bridge?
I hadn't heard from Michael in two weeks. However, he had called the kids and apologized to each for the way he'd acted. Maybe if he realized how much he hurt them, he'd start to change.
Brandon bounced my fingers up and down in the palm of his hand. He'd had a smile on his face since we left my house, kind of like the Cheshire Cat. The only thing missing was the white rabbit. "I'm glad everything is going so well for you."
"You, too. Matthew said you're keeping him busy on Saturdays."
"He's a hard worker. Of course if things keep going, I'll have to get Anthony out there too." Brandon took a large gulp from his water glass.
"I think he's a bit young yet."
"I suppose. But Matthew needed a way to vent. I think swinging a hammer is a good way for him to do it."
"The best part is when he gets home, he's too tired to do anything but eat and sleep."
Brandon chuckled. He raised my hand to his lips and kissed my palm. "I love being with you and the kids. I've grown quite fond of them."
"They're taken with you, too."
"And what about their mother?" He ran his thumb over my lips.
"Very much so." I leaned over and kissed his cheek.
He spoke softly, like a whisper in the wind. "I think I've fallen in love with you, Debra Zimmerman."
I bolted upright in my seat. Had I heard him right? I needed a moment to absorb what he'd just said.
Brandon dug into his jacket pocket. "Deb, you'd make me the happiest man in the world if you allowed me to marry you and take care of you and your children."
The black velvet box held a solitaire with accent diamonds around the band. My heart leapt into my throat. Please God, don't let me throw up.
"You don't have to answer me tonight. I know it's kind of soon. We just met a few—"
"Yes," I blurted.
He slid the ring onto my trembling finger and pulled me into a kiss. "She said yes!" he shouted to the other patrons in the restaurant.
We received a standing ovation.