bother to show. She was still vacationing in the Empire State, and didn’t feel the need to rush right back considering she had no intention to contest the changes. It seemed that now that she was a free-wheeling single with a little more money in her pocket, she was willing to whittle her motherhood role down to the weekends, making the new arrangement the most amicable since the divorce.
In fact, everything was handled within twenty minutes, leaving us free for the afternoon. Drew suggested we head out to the Getty to see the new exhibit, and Jonathan was beside himself with excitement to go.
He had taken his sketchbook along with him to the courthouse, so he was fully prepared to sketch his favorite finds from one of our favorite places. He planted himself in the grass in the sculpted garden to draw all the natural beauty stretching out before him all the way into the horizon. “A gift for the baby,” he grinned as he went right to work.
Drew and I walked over to chairs nearby. “That was pretty simple,” I said. “A little too simple. Did you bribe her, Drew?”
He shrugged. “Officially? I didn’t do anything.”
“What does that mean?”
He grinned. “Let’s just say it pays to have persuasive friends. If all goes well, Elise will move to New York by the end of the year.”
“And what does that mean?”
He patted my hand. “It’s a beautiful day. Let’s not ruin it talking about Elise.” He changed the subject easily. “How are you feeling today?”
“Good,” I answered. The week had been touch and go. Some days I barely noticed anything more than morning queasiness. But by Wednesday, I was on my knees in front of the toilet for much of the morning. This affected Jonathan’s studies, as we had scheduled a return to FEI that week. Drew, however, was more concerned about what it meant for my health and the baby’s. He had already cleared his schedule for my next doctor’s appointment, just to make sure I was all right.
He looked visibly relieved that I was having a good day. “Excellent,” he said as he stretched out in the chair. “Now that we have all this legal wrangling behind us, we can relax this weekend. No pressure, just time at home with the family.”
I felt a rock in my gut. It was as perfect an opening as I was going to get. “Listen, Drew… I talked to Jonathan . He’s asked me to approach you about something.”
His eyes narrowed. “And that is?”
“It’s like I told you on the island. He wants to spend time with Alex and Max. He wants a real family, and all that entails.”
“I see,” he clipped. “And what do you want, Rachel?”
I met his gaze dead on. “I want Jonathan to be happy.” His mouth thinned into a hard line. “Apparently Elise and Alex had a bit of a falling out before she left. She essentially left Jonathan there with them. It reminded him of the time we spent there last year, so he wants to build on that and strengthen the family bond.” Drew said nothing as his eyes searched my face. “He’s always been fond of Alex. You said so yourself. You honestly can’t be that surprised that he’d want to repair that fracture now that he has the family at home he always wanted.”
“No, I’m not surprised,” Drew murmured. “I knew this was coming, I just didn’t expect it so soon. Only a couple of weeks of wedding bliss and you’re ready to open up your loving bosom to extended family. Ambitious,” he concluded as he sat up straight and crossed one leg over the other.
I already knew that was a sign of power for him, but I refused to play his game. “This changes nothing between you and me or me and Alex. If anything, Jonathan wants to change things between you and Alex. That’s the relationship that needs to heal now.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Drew decided. “ Even for a great miracle worker like yourself.”
“So you just reject Jonathan’s wishes out of hand.”
“I didn’t say that. I had already planned on
In fact, everything was handled within twenty minutes, leaving us free for the afternoon. Drew suggested we head out to the Getty to see the new exhibit, and Jonathan was beside himself with excitement to go.
He had taken his sketchbook along with him to the courthouse, so he was fully prepared to sketch his favorite finds from one of our favorite places. He planted himself in the grass in the sculpted garden to draw all the natural beauty stretching out before him all the way into the horizon. “A gift for the baby,” he grinned as he went right to work.
Drew and I walked over to chairs nearby. “That was pretty simple,” I said. “A little too simple. Did you bribe her, Drew?”
He shrugged. “Officially? I didn’t do anything.”
“What does that mean?”
He grinned. “Let’s just say it pays to have persuasive friends. If all goes well, Elise will move to New York by the end of the year.”
“And what does that mean?”
He patted my hand. “It’s a beautiful day. Let’s not ruin it talking about Elise.” He changed the subject easily. “How are you feeling today?”
“Good,” I answered. The week had been touch and go. Some days I barely noticed anything more than morning queasiness. But by Wednesday, I was on my knees in front of the toilet for much of the morning. This affected Jonathan’s studies, as we had scheduled a return to FEI that week. Drew, however, was more concerned about what it meant for my health and the baby’s. He had already cleared his schedule for my next doctor’s appointment, just to make sure I was all right.
He looked visibly relieved that I was having a good day. “Excellent,” he said as he stretched out in the chair. “Now that we have all this legal wrangling behind us, we can relax this weekend. No pressure, just time at home with the family.”
I felt a rock in my gut. It was as perfect an opening as I was going to get. “Listen, Drew… I talked to Jonathan . He’s asked me to approach you about something.”
His eyes narrowed. “And that is?”
“It’s like I told you on the island. He wants to spend time with Alex and Max. He wants a real family, and all that entails.”
“I see,” he clipped. “And what do you want, Rachel?”
I met his gaze dead on. “I want Jonathan to be happy.” His mouth thinned into a hard line. “Apparently Elise and Alex had a bit of a falling out before she left. She essentially left Jonathan there with them. It reminded him of the time we spent there last year, so he wants to build on that and strengthen the family bond.” Drew said nothing as his eyes searched my face. “He’s always been fond of Alex. You said so yourself. You honestly can’t be that surprised that he’d want to repair that fracture now that he has the family at home he always wanted.”
“No, I’m not surprised,” Drew murmured. “I knew this was coming, I just didn’t expect it so soon. Only a couple of weeks of wedding bliss and you’re ready to open up your loving bosom to extended family. Ambitious,” he concluded as he sat up straight and crossed one leg over the other.
I already knew that was a sign of power for him, but I refused to play his game. “This changes nothing between you and me or me and Alex. If anything, Jonathan wants to change things between you and Alex. That’s the relationship that needs to heal now.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Drew decided. “ Even for a great miracle worker like yourself.”
“So you just reject Jonathan’s wishes out of hand.”
“I didn’t say that. I had already planned on
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