she completed her worksheet. It was simple math and she finished it in fifteen minutes.
“Can we make some pictures now? I can go get my coloring pencils.”
I knew Stacey would want to talk to me about this situation with her ex-fiancé, so I told Easton to go up to her room and make us a special one.
“But Mommy, I want you to help me.”
“I know, sweetheart, but Aunt Stacey has some things to tell me.”
“Is it about that fucker?”
Stacey sputtered and my eyes widened. “Easton, you promised you wouldn’t say that.”
Easton’s tiny hand covered her mouth. “Oops. I forgot. Am I in trouble?”
“Yes, you are. Now up to your room, young lady.”
“But, Mommy, I didn’t mean to be bad. That ‘fucker’ just slipped out.”
“Go on. And don’t say it again.”
She walked away with her head hanging down and it took everything in me not to laugh. When I heard her hit the top step and continue on, I nearly died.
“Oh, God, that was too funny,” Stacey said.
“I know, but you can’t laugh in front of her.”
“It was hard not to.”
“Right? So tell me the scoop.”
Stacey went from laughing to frowning. “Yeah, that fucker is dating and if I’m right, they’ve been at it for some time. I went to her social media accounts and there were pictures of them from way before we bought the house. What I can’t figure out is why didn’t he just have the balls to tell me?”
This got me thinking. “Stacey, could you sue him?”
“For what?”
“Hear me out. I know you’re the one with the law degree but you’re not thinking clearly where he’s concerned. You bought the house under the false notion that you were going to be married. This woman has pictures of them on social media from before that. He never intended to marry you, so isn’t there some legal issue here? A breaking of a contract?”
“Technically no, because we never entered into one, as in marriage.”
“True, but that’s a written contract. An oral contract is binding, isn’t it? He gave you a diamond ring and asked you to marry him. Perhaps you should investigate this. He’s put you in a financial bind. It’s not fair you have to shoulder that mortgage on your own.”
A pensive look came over her. “Maybe I should discuss this with one of the partners in the firm. I really don’t want to go down that road, but if it would help me financially, it might be worth it.”
“Great idea.”
From the top of the stairs, a voice called out. “Is my punishment over? I did a picture for you.”
“Come on down,” I said. Then I told Stacey about Tristian asking me to dinner on Friday.
“If he had asked me, I would have to wear a drool cup under my chin. That man is smoking.”
“Who smokes?” Easton asked.
“No one, sweetie.”
“Look!” She handed a drawing to Stacey. It was a picture of two big people, one small one, and an animal.
“What’s that?” Stacey asked, pointing to the animal.
“It’s my new dog. Her name is Bucker.”
“Your new dog?” We’d never had a dog so I was a bit puzzled.
“Yep. Geepa said we could look at dogs on Friday. He told me about Boonior and I said I wanted one.”
Oh, boy. She was going to hate me. “Honey, we can’t have a dog.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re gone all day. Who will take care of it?”
She grinned. “Banana and Geepa will. They already said so. And they said they’ll train it and when it gets all A’s it can come and live here.”
“They did, huh?” I was going to murder them both.
“Yeah, Bucker will be a good dog.”
“What if he eats your shoes like Boonior used to eat mine?”
“You’ll buy me new ones.”
Fuck. This child had an answer for everything. “I need to discuss this with Banana and Geepa.”
“Okay, but they’ll still say yes.”
“You’re going to Banana and Geepa’s on Friday?” Stacey asked.
“Yep, and I get to spend the night.”
Stacey eyed me and waggled her brows.
I mouthed, “Stop.”
“Mommy has a date night with Mr. Trishan. They can do kissy face. I think Mommy should marry him, don’t you, Aunt Stacey Bear?”
I got the triple brow waggle for that.
“Easy Bear, it depends on whether they love each other.”
“What’s that got to do with it?”
Oh, God, this kid.
“He’s nice and likes her cuz she’s pretty. He don’t gotta love her too.”
“It helps, believe me.” Stacey pulled her onto her lap. “When two people get married, if they don’t love each other, sometimes things don’t work out.”
Easton