Second Chances [Lesbian]

Chapter 24

The next morning, the call I'd been dreading came a lot earlier than expected. I poured a cup of coffee while Eliza still slept. Standing in a beam of sun coming through the kitchen window, slowly sipping, I tried to plan our day when my phone buzzed on the countertop. It wasn't until my eyes landed on the screen that my stomach twisted up in knots. I set my cup down carefully before swiping the screen and putting the phone to my ear. I took a breath.

"Hello."

"Hi. We have a lot to talk about." She sounded calmer than she had the day before.

"Okay. Are we talking over the phone or in person?"

"I want to get it over with and I'd rather Eliza not hear any of it. Is she sleeping?"

"Yeah, she is." I glanced towards the hallway, but didn't hear any sounds coming from her room.

"Good. So, you already know you screwed up. I also acknowledge that things happen, so I know you didn't purposefully choose to mess up her Christmas.."

I pursed my lips and gripped my phone tighter, choosing not to respond just yet.

"I would appreciate if you were more considerate of not only her feelings, but of our custody arrangements," she continued, "and maybe remember that you're a mom first, even though you have a shiny new girlfriend."

I slowly counted to ten before saying anything. "It was a simple mistake. I should have made sure my phone was charged. I accept that and I already apologized to everyone involved." I took another breath. "Eliza always comes first to me and that should never be doubted. Like you said yourself, things happen, like when custody arrangements are often changed at the last minute. I've been very understanding through it all over the past two years because you ultimately call the shots."

"That's not even the sa-"

"I'm not finished," I interrupted. "My relationship with Cameron will not be used as leverage when it comes to Eliza or our parenting. I am an adult and a parent and what I choose to do with my life is not open for interpretation, criticism or ultimatums." The blood pumped through my veins and I paced the kitchen, knowing I was playing with fire.

"Are you done with your little impassioned speech?"

My jaw tensed. "As long as it's understood."

"Crystal clear. What you do with your relationship is irrelevant to me. As a parent, every choice you make affects our daughter, so of course that matters to me." Her voice had gotten a bit louder.

There was a long pause before I chose the next words carefully. "So, you don't think she's aware of the women that have left the house before she's up for the day?"

The silence that followed was almost deafening.

"What did you say?" Her voice sounded strained, but also filled with a quiet rage.

"She's nine, not stupid, Whitney. She's asked me.. multiple times. You know what I did, as a parent? I explained that adults are allowed to make choices that kids don't have to concern themselves with." I let the words settle as my hands shook slightly.

"You have no right-"

"So now that the shoe is on the other foot, I have no right? I also don't give two shits about what you choose to do with your personal life, Whitney. But this goes both ways. Think of our daughter when you make your choices, and you do not get to be a hypocrite by questioning me about what I do or don't do and how it affects her." It felt exhilarating to let it all out. "Neither of us wants to hurt her, and we are the adults here. Holding on to anger and resentment isn't good for anyone."