The Friends We Keep

Part of her thought he was being obtuse on purpose. Because for him to see her side, he would have to acknowledge the complete unfairness of what he asked and expected. His position was indefensible, at least from where she stood. But Andrew was nothing if not fair. To survive the argument, he would have to say that purple was green and then defend that statement to the death. Or at least until they’d figured out what they were going to do about Makayla and her baby.

The afternoon was warm and sunny. The twins played on their swings in the shade of the trees on the edge of the backyard. Boomer sniffed his way through the plants by the fence, while Jasmine groomed in the sun and glared at the birds overhead. Makayla was with her mom. For the moment, there was peace. But there was also what felt like a thousand-mile-wide chasm between herself and her husband.

“Have you heard from Lisa or Thomas?” he asked.

She almost asked “who?” before remembering they were Boyd’s hostile parents. “No. I’ll call Lisa tomorrow. I suspect silence isn’t good, but I have no proof at all. For all I know, they’re decorating a room for their grandchild-to-be.”

“Makayla hasn’t said anything about Boyd?” he asked.

“Not to me.”

Gabby leaned back against the cushion of the lawn chair. The weekend had been tense, at least from her point of view. She and Andrew were polite, but not especially friendly. They hadn’t made love in days—unusual for them.

“I don’t trust Boyd,” he said. “Why isn’t he hanging out here? If he cares about Makayla as much as he claims, why don’t we see him?”

“I know. I want to assume all is well. That they’re planning their lives together in the bliss that is young love, but I have my doubts.”

“You sound bitter.”

“No, I sound tired.” She sighed. “I don’t want to fight with you, Andrew, but you’re making this hard.”

“We’re a team,” he reminded her.

“I’m less sure of that than I used to be. Lately it feels like it’s mostly me doing everything around here while you work.” She held up her hand when he started to speak. “I’m not saying you’re not supportive. You are always thinking of ways to be a good dad and a good husband. You work long hours to take care of us. I really appreciate that. But when it comes to the day-to-day life, it’s all me. You’re asking too much.”

His dark gaze was steady. “What if there isn’t another choice? Someone has to raise Makayla’s child.”

“It should be her, or she should give it up for adoption.”

His expression hardened. “That’s not an option. We’ve been over this. She isn’t ready to be a mother.”

“Then she shouldn’t be having a baby.”

“But she is. We have to accept what is happening. There will be another member of our family to deal with, Gabby. The baby is as much our responsibility as it is Makayla’s.”

She shook her head. “I don’t accept that. We had no part in her decision to have sex. This is her doing. I’m not saying we don’t help her. Of course we do. But Andrew, think about what you’re saying. Everyone gets to continue with his or her life, except me. You want me to give up everything.”

She felt tightness in her throat and burning in her eyes. “I can’t,” she whispered. “I can’t do it. And I won’t. I’m not giving up my life to stay home for the next five years and take care of your daughter’s baby.”

In the silence that followed, she felt her heartbeat pounding in her chest. Boomer must have sensed the tension because he raised his head to look at Gabby. Andrew’s mouth twisted.

“I see.”

Then she knew. What she’d said—what she’d done. She’d drawn a line in the sand. She’d defined Makayla as his. Not theirs, not almost hers, but his. With that handful of words, she’d given up the moral high ground.

Andrew had never treated the twins any differently than he treated Makayla. He’d never seemed anything but delighted about adding to his family. While she’d had to deal with a stepdaughter and, on occasion, his ex-wife, she’d never felt second-best.

“I see,” he said again, his tone curt.

She wanted to say that he had to know what she meant, but there was no point. She was instantly furious with herself, but also at him for what was going to happen. Because Andrew would be a jerk about this. She just knew it.

He cleared his throat, then glanced at his watch. “I’m sorry to have to excuse myself, but I need to call Candace and find out if I’m picking up my daughter or if she’s bringing her here.”

Gabby nodded. She told herself that the slight emphasis on the word my was her imagination, even though she knew it wasn’t.

He went inside. Jasmine abandoned her bird-watching to jump onto the cushion beside Gabby. She stroked the cat, letting the cool, smooth fur soothe her. It was like that scene from the old Terminator movie. A storm was coming.

Kenzie and Kennedy jumped off the swings and ran over. They flopped on the grass and spread out their arms. Boomer moved close to his favorite girls and licked them both.

“Mommy, when is Makayla coming home?” Kennedy asked.

“Soon,” Andrew said from the doorway. “I’m going to get her now.”

“Can I come?” Kennedy asked.

“Me, too. I want to go with you.”