Part 32
As dinner was being prepared, Chelsea found herself alone with Kevin. Dianne was in the kitchen while AJ and Annie were in the yard playing with ‘Bo’. She sat quietly sipping the drink AJ had brought her contemplating what she needed to say to Kevin. This situation was so difficult and she knew that he wasn’t seeing everything.
“What are you thinking about, Chels?” asked Kevin as he sat down beside her on the swing.
Chels….it’s what he’d always called her. Never Chelsea, well, unless he’d been upset with her. She could hear the genuine concern in his voice too.
“You…and this whole situation.”
“No need to. We’ve got things worked out.”
“I want it in writing, Kevin.”
Kevin was floored. “Why?”
“To protect Annie. Kevin, it’s the right thing to do.”
Hurt and anger lacing his voice, “Why do you feel like you need to protect her from me?”
Chelsea tucked her head. The last thing she wanted was a confrontation with him. Softly, “Never mind. Just forget it.”
“NO! I won’t forget it. Answer me,” pressed Kevin, his anger building.
She looked up to find his emerald eyes burning a hole into her soul. “It’s not you,” offered Chelsea as she plunged ahead. “It’s Dianne.”
“That’s ridiculous,” scoffed Kevin.
“No, it’s not, Kevin. She’s NOT as ‘okay’ with all this as you think she is. You didn’t see the way she looked at you when you told Annie she could bring the dog in the house.”
“If she’s not okay with this, then why did she go out and get all that stuff for Annie and fix up her room for her?” questioned Kevin.
“’Boo’, that was for YOUR sake. I’m not saying she hates Annie but she’s hurt.”
Kevin thought about the way Dianne had greeted Chelsea…cool and aloof…but he remained silent. He didn’t want to believe that his wife was jealous. After all, what was there to be jealous of? She had to know that he loved her.
Chelsea could see the confusion in Kevin’s eyes and she reached out to take his hand. “Think about it, Kevin. She knows that while you two were having problems, you were with me and you clearly fell in love with me. You weren’t spending that time agonizing over the problems between the two of you and out of OUR relationship, you have a child…something SHE hasn’t given you.”
“But we agreed to wait to have children.” It was a weak protest but he was beginning to see what Chelsea was saying.
“That may be but the fact that I did give you a child and KEPT it from you until now and you’re still okay with that probably hurts Dianne. I know it would hurt me.” Chelsea stopped to give Kevin time to take in what she’d said before she ‘hit’ him with the rest. “Kevin, Annie adores you but she told Alex and me that she’s not comfortable being alone with Dianne. When we talked to her, she said Dianne wants her to call her ‘Mama’ and she asked a lot of questions.”
“What kind of questions?”
“Questions that could be used to say I’m unfit.”
“That’s ridiculous! You worked your ass off to give Annie the best of everything.”
“You and I know that but Dianne doesn’t.”
“Then I’ll tell her.”
“No, Kevin! I don’t want her to know about all that. It would just give her grounds to say I WAS unfit.”
“Chels, you DO know I’d NEVER use it against you?”
Chelsea shook her head, “You say that now, Kevin…and we’ve talked about it all…but what’s to say that you and Dianne are alone and she starts pushing you….for full custody…that you won’t give in? What if you get tired of our arrangement? I can’t take that chance because I would lose Annie.”
Kevin could tell Chelsea was serious about this so he gave in. “Okay, I’ll call my attorney tomorrow and we’ll set it up.”
“Thank you.” Looking at her hand in Kevin’s, she thought about the time they’d shared but her thoughts were interrupted by ‘Bo’s’ barking. Chelsea looked over to see him ‘fighting’ with AJ for a bone and she smiled. “You really shouldn’t have bought her a puppy. I’m sure Alex’s dogs would have been enough.”
Kevin settled next to Chelsea and laced his fingers with hers. “I think all kids should have their own dog…a buddy who’s always there….like your ‘Bo’ was. Annie’s going through a HUGE adjustment in her life and she needs someone she can talk to….other than you and me.”
“I…I agree.” Chelsea felt like her heart was in her throat and it was difficult to speak. “Why a chocolate lab though…and why ‘Bo’?”
“Honestly…I guess I just wanted to do something for you but I was afraid to,” answered Kevin softly. “Your face use to light up every time you talked about your ‘Bo’ and when Annie saw him, her face lit up the same way. You aren’t mad, are you?”
Chelsea sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. “How could I be mad? You’re looking out for your daughter and trying to help her create special memories.” She paused and gave Kevin’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Thank you…for the love we shared, for Annie…and for teaching me to believe in wishes coming true.”
Kevin felt her tears on his shoulder so he dropped her hand and wrapped his arm around her pulling her closer. Pressing a kiss into her hair, he said, “I should be thanking you, baby. You gave me such pure and honest love and Annie…god, she’s so perfect.”
Chelsea looked at their daughter as she rolled on the ground with ‘Bo’ jumping on her. “She has been the most perfect thing in my life, Kevin. We really did something special.”
“Yeah, we did,” and with one finger, Kevin lifted her chin to place a tender kiss on her lips.
From the kitchen window, Dianne watched and heard the whole scene unfold and as her husband kissed this other woman, her own tears cascaded down her cheeks. Her husband was so in love with the mother of his child…how was she going to hold on to him?
