this wine and forget about that lying, cheating bastard.”
Her words send a clog of emotion through me. “I’m supposed to be mourning him, not hating him.”
Pouring three glasses of wine, Nahla opens the pizza box with the other hand, pulling out a slice. “The only reason I’d be mourning that asshole would be Tatum losing her father. He was a bad husband. Bad.”
I take my wine in hand, swirling it around in the glass. “Was he though? Or was I a bad wife for not seeing this sooner?”
“That’s crazy.” She chews her pizza slowly. “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re an amazing mom.”
“Wife. Was I good a wife though?”
“You didn’t cheat on him, so that’s better than him.”
Sadie walks in with Tatum. “Is Collin’s mom coming to get her tonight?”
I nod and take Tatum in my arms. Thankfully she’s fully clothed now in what looks to be a lace dress, clip-on earrings, and bright pink lipstick. “Yeah, she asked to spend some time with her.”
“Oh, I think she might be here.”
Tatum spots the bowl of Cheerios. “Yay, teets!”
Sadie looks at her, curious. “What’d she just say?”
“Teets.”
“As in….”
I gesture to the bowl. “Toasted Cheerios.”
Tatum takes a handful and shoves them in her mouth. I smile at her, loving that Collin was a shitty human, but he gave me the best possible gift in the world. A daughter.
“Why don’t you eat some pizza before Grandma Karen takes you?” Don’t laugh. Yes, my mother-in-law’s name is Karen. And yes, she fits the mold. I’m sorry to all you Karen’s out there who suddenly hate their name due to this stereotype. If it makes you feel better, at least your name isn’t Jeffrey Dahmer. I went to high school with a kid who had that name, and he had to change it.
Tatum squirms in my arms, attempting to shove a few more Cheerios in. “Okay.”
I set her on her feet, where Nahla hands her a plate with a cut-up slice of pizza on it. It takes an army to raise a kid. Or three women. Whatever. We’re an army now.
“There’s a girl crying in the living room,” Karen says, coming into the kitchen, her brow pulled together. “Is she okay? Did she know my Collin?”
Notice how she says my Collin? He’s her baby and can do nothing wrong.
“She knew him all right,” Sadie mumbles under her breath.
Tatum jumps up from the table, drops her pizza, and hugs Karen. “Karen!” And then she does the dance. Every mom out there knows the pee dance.
“Tatum, go to the bathroom.”
“No, thank you.”
“It wasn’t a question. Go pee.” I’ve been trying to potty train her for a year. So far, she wants nothing to do with it. Changing a baby’s diaper, not so bad. Changing a three-year-olds? HELL. And they poop human size. Enough said. And yes, I know babies are human too. Whatever.
“If I go, can I have something?”
“What are you? A hostage negotiator? No, you can’t have something. Go to the bathroom.”
Blank stares. “If I pee, I have candy?”
I think about it. I do, but am I really negotiating over her peeing her pants?
My cheeks heat with annoyance. “Fine. One candy.”
“Five.”
I give her the stern mom look. I don’t use it very often with her, but in the last few days, she’s been arguing everything I say. “Tatum….”
“Loretta,” she corrects me, hands plastered to her hips.
“Oh, go easy on her, Syd. She’s three.” Karen picks her up and into the bathroom. “Would you like ice cream tonight?”
Karen!
Sadie and Nahla stare at me. “Wow.” Sadie points behind her. “Do you think if she knew Collin had been cheating on you, she’d say, oh, he was thirty. He didn’t know any better.”
“Probably.” I pour myself another glass of wine.
“Should we offer Remi some wine?” Sadie suggests. “She’s still sitting in there.”
“No, don’t—” I try to get out but then she comes around the corner.
“I’d love some,” Remi notes, walking toward me.
Have you ever seen that movie “Just Go with It”? Okay, if you have, the scene where the girl he’s trying to impress walks on the beach in the bikini… picture that but with a chick wearing yoga pants. She’s like the yoga version of Malibu Barbie. Way to make me feel worse about my life.
Karen returns, carrying our little Tatum Tot in her arms. “I’m gonna take off with this little nugget.” Karen might be, well, a Karen, but she’s great with Tatum and loves her.
I kiss Tatum, hug her between tears, and tell her over and