Shattered Pieces

Twenty One

Spencer

"I'm sorry. I thought we agreed on me coming by with her today."

My wife's eyes dart to me because, like the idiot I am, this is the first she's hearing of it.

"Yea, we... we did."

I really didn't think date night would end with Olivia back at the condo, so I told Kennedy she could come with Aaliyah, and we could talk today. Saturdays before my games are always busy so today worked better. I should've told Olivia; I know that. It's just our date went so well, and then when I brought up Aaliyah earlier, it was all so tense. I didn't want to ruin what was arguably the best time we've spent together in recent memory.

"Hi, sweetie." My wife finally squats down, hugging my daughter. Aaliyah took an instant liking to her in New York, and it seems it wasn't a one time fluke.

Kennedy tucks a piece of her red again hair behind her ear. She has subtle tells, and seeing her daughter in my wife's arms is not something she's loving right now.

"We can, um; we can come back later." Kennedy clears her throat.

"No need. Grayson and I have plans for the day, so we were just leaving, right, baby?" Olivia smiles at me, but she is not happy. Not in the least bit.

"I really am sorry, Liv. I didn't realize you'd be here... that I'd be interrupting your family time."

"Why wouldn't I be here?" Olivia's voice is so sarcastically sweet right now it's actually scaring me.

"Oh, it's just Spencer said—"

"My husband said what, exactly?"

Fuck. Me.

"I just didn't know if you'd be comfortable with me in your home, but Spencer—"

"Baby, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a second." I reach for her hand, and she takes mine.

"Why not, Spencer? Talking seems like an excellent idea." She squeezes my hand, and it isn't endearing.

My feet feel like bricks on the walk to the kitchen because I know nothing good is waiting for me.

I'm happy I hold our baby in my free arm because he's probably the only thing protecting me right now.

"You told her about our problems?"

"Not exactly, no. Just when she asked about coming to our house, I told her it wouldn't be an issue because I wasn't staying there at the moment."

"So what's your plan, huh? Play house with Gray and me in our home that you just said you wanted to come back to, then when you've had enough of us, you'll come to play house here with Kennedy and Aaliyah?"

"You're being unfair, Olivia."

"You should have told me she was coming. You should have told me that she would be in our condo."

"I should have. I didn't want to ruin our date, then when I was with you, I genuinely forgot. I was just focused on being in the moment with you. I'm sorry I didn't say anything, and I'm sorry my actions ended up hurting you again. But do you truly believe I'd play house with Kennedy? Do you seriously think I wouldn't rather me, you, Grayson, and Aaliyah all be under the same roof spending time together as a family? You just turned to stone... stone, Olivia, when my daughter touched you. So as much as I am trying to protect you from this fallout, I have to protect her too. I thought I was doing the right thing keeping you guys separate for now."

She looks at me like I'm speaking a foreign language. The silence is sucking the life out of me. It's like I'm standing on the edge, waiting for her to finally speak. Are her words going to pull me back or tip me over?