Wrecked

SEVEN

Jody didn't know what possessed Steve to say those words, but she had never been more grateful. At least he could see clearly when it came to their daughter. Everything was okay except for one thing.
Vincent.
She could never choose between her two children.
She would have to find a way to keep seeing her son even as she was staying at Steve's house for Tory's sake.
She didn't have much to pack, just a few clothes that were not too worn out and the only flip flops and flats she had. She packed some elastic bands for her hair and the new shoe she had gotten for Vincent at the second hand shop yesterday morning.
She missed him a lot.
She smiled and decided to put a call through to her mother so she could talk to him.
She waited for her mother to pick up.
When the phone vibrated signifying her mother had picked, she put it to her ear and smiled widely when she heard Vincent yell "Mommy!"
God bless her mother. She always knew when she wanted to talk to her son.
"Baby! Mommy thinks she will just faint from missing you."
He giggled childishly. "Me too. I miss you a lot too. Where did you go? We have lots to talk about."
There goes the genius in her son. At first she had been scared. He had started muttering nonsense as soon as she was born and she thought her son was just an active one but at the age of two, he could string up a sentence without trying hard and he taught himself how to read. He knew how to solve maths before he was four and he even asked her questions she didn't have answers to. Jody found herself reading more in order to give him answers to his questions when needed.
"Do not tell me you are spacing out again, Mom. Remember we have got lots of bills to pay including the phone bill."
"I haven't forgotten, honey and I will pay them next week."
"I will be able to help soon. I promise."
Tears filled her eyes. "You are best thing that ever happened to me, prince charming."
"I love you. Please come and sleepover on Saturday, okay?"
"Uh....okay."
"Something is wrong, right?"
"Why would you think that?"
"I know you, mom."
"It's nothing."
"I've gotta go now though. We have stayed two minutes, forty -five seconds on this call and I have precisely thirty minutes and ten seconds to finish all of my assignments. I love love you, okay?"
"I know. I love you so much more."
"Take care."
"Kisses, baby."
She listened for his giggle before she hung up.
A horn blew outside and she knew it was Steve.
She looked round the room again and picked up the black worn out box that she lifted easily and locked the door and took the elevator down and out of the apartment building and walked straight to Steve's car.
Never in a million years would she have thought that she would be living with Steve again.
When they had first separated almost six years ago, she had dreamed several times that he would come see her and forgive her and take her back but that had just been in her dreams.
This was reality and she was doing it for her daughter, besides the man that was the father of her daughter was different from the man she married.
So much for love.
She sighed inwardly.
She had just gotten close to the car when she noticed that Tory was crying again and banging the window with her tiny fists.
Oh for the love of Christ!
She hurried to the car and opened the back door and Tory jumped into her arms making her drop the suitcase.
"Princess, I'm here, right here." She hugged her close and Tory buried her face in her neck. "What happened to her?" Jody couldn't help but ask defensively.
"What do you think? If you hadn't spent the whole day packing your things, she wouldn't have felt like you had locked yourself there and was not coming back."
Jody wanted retort and realised that ignoring Steve was the best thing she could do for the three of them now.

* * *

Steve's house stunned her and she immediately felt ashamed of where she lived. The house spoke of new wealth.
It was good that her daughter was well taken care of and Vincent would probably hate her for depriving him of this luxury. How could she look her son in the eye without feeling guilty of depriving him of this comfort.
Tory was sleeping in her arms now and she held her carefully, smiling down her pretty face.
It was official.
Her daughter was going to be a beauty queen when she grew up.
She followed Steve in to the house and was even more stunned at the interior design.
"Faith." Steve called out jolting her out of her thoughts.
A middle aged woman came out of the kitchen. "Thank the merciful Lord for saving His own." She said with a heavy sigh.
Steve smiled at the older woman. "Yes, Faith"
"Good day" Jody greeted since Steve had refused to introduce them.
"You are welcome, dear. You are that teacher from school?"
She shook her head. "I'm Jody. Tory's mother."
Faith looked a bit surprised. "Oh. Welcome ma'am."
Jody smiled at the woman's attitude. "No. Just Jody."
Faith looked like she wanted to say something but Steve spoke up. "Faith please take Tory from her and take her up to her room. And please make her favorite for dinner. She will probably sleep until then."
Jody moved forward and allowed Martha to take her daughter. But as soon as Martha turned to leave, Tory began to whimper causing her to stop and turn around again.
"Mommy."
"Sweetheart, I'm here. Go to your bed now, you will be comfy there. I love love you." She kissed her forehead gently and moved away for Martha to take her.
"Look I don't know what you said to Tory to make her so attached to you but you had better not get used to paradise because before you know it you should be back in the trash can where you most definitely belong. God knows some people do not deserve an ounce of pity."
Jody kept quiet because she felt like crying and she would never give Steve that pleasure.
"One more thing. Just because you are living here does not mean the rules have changed."
Oh Jody knew the rules alright!
She was not permitted to:
1. Take Tory out without his express consent.
2. Tell Tory anything about their marriage
3. Buy Tory presents because they were additional dirt for the maid to clean up.
4. Take Tory to anywhere other than the cafe close to her school.
She nodded meekly.
Then he snapped his fingers.
Jody looked up to see a man walk in at the snap of fingers.
"Take her to the guest house and show her the room she will be staying in."
As Jody followed the man, she hoped that she would not die of heartache before she left.