Rebuilding Year 02 - Life, Some Assembly Required by Kaje Harper

Author:Kaje Harper
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2015-04-27T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

A week later, John glanced around Torey’s room in the new apartment. It was pretty bare—furnished with a bed and dresser. Nothing on the walls, no bookshelf. Much less personal than her room at the house. He felt a pang of regret. “Are you sure you don’t want to bring some of your other stuff over here, honey?”

Torey glanced over from hanging her shirts in the closet. “No, Dad. I want that room to stay the same as always. I’d like to get some of my things from LA, but it’s fine like this for now.”

“Well.” He stopped short of asking if she was really okay living here with Cynthia. She’d made the tough call on her own not to start an argument or leave her mom alone right now. John was torn about it. Parents should take care of their kids, not the reverse. But Torey said it was cool and she liked being needed, and she was excited about helping set up a room for the baby. She and Cynthia had been really close a few years ago, back before Brandon. John told himself it would work out fine.

The apartment wasn’t bad, downstairs in a four-plex only a couple of miles from the house. Six bus stops away—close enough to bike or even walk. But it wouldn’t be the same as having her at home, seeing her at breakfast and dinner and hearing about her day. John had loved the last two weeks, with both kids underfoot and Ryan in his bed at night, and even just knowing Cynthia was safe too.

He’d fantasized about maybe putting an extension on the house for Cynthia so Torey could stay with both of them. He could keep his daughter, Cynthia could have her own separate space, and he could be around for the new baby if he was suddenly needed. In his saner moments, he knew that was a really bad idea.

With Cynthia around setting limits, he sometimes wondered if he went one step too far to keep the peace, to do what might work for Torey. He hated arguments, loud voices and anger, and always had, and Cynthia knew that. Ryan probably had a right to say she’d been taking advantage, even if John just felt like he was trying to keep everyone happy. He’d caught himself a time or two wishing they were different people, that Cynthia was more open-minded and Ryan less sharp, and then he’d been ashamed of himself for it. This move was probably a good thing. Definitely a good thing.

Ryan and Cynthia had managed to be polite if cool to each other for the whole two weeks, but there’d been moments of slippage—a disdainful look or comment from Cynthia or a provocative bit of snark from Ryan that had them glaring at each other. Ryan had gone out of his way to touch and kiss John around her, he was certain of it. And she’d made a clear point of looking away or walking out of the room.

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