Read Online The Summer of Me by Angela Benson - Free Book Online

some stunt like this.”
    â€œIt’s not a stunt, Destiny.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you discuss it with me earlier then? Why didn’t you tell me you planned to stop the child support while the children were with you for the summer? You intentionally misled me. You and Mary Margaret both.”
    â€œWe did no such thing.”
    â€œWell, it certainly seems that way to me. Why didn’t either of you tell me then? Why did I have to find out this way?”
    Silence was his answer to that question.
    â€œDid you think I wouldn’t let them go with you if you told me? Did you think I’d hold my kids hostage over some child support? Is that what you thought?”
    Again, silence.
    â€œSpeak up, Kenneth. Now’s your time to talk.”
    â€œHold on a minute,” he said. “I don’t want the kids to hear this.”
    Destiny drilled her fingers on the counter while she waitedfor Kenneth to get back on the line. She couldn’t believe he had done this to her. She was a reasonable woman. If he had told her his plans for child support, they could have worked something out in advance. It wasn’t fair of him to blindside her the way he had.
    â€œOkay,” he said, “I’m back.”
    Destiny thought the phone sounded different. “Do you have me on speakerphone?”
    He cleared his throat. “Yes,” he said. “Mary Margaret is with me. Do you mind?”
    â€œIt’s a fine time to ask me,” she said. Of course she minded, but she’d never let them know. “I don’t care if Mary Margaret listens. Maybe she can explain why you two never thought to tell me you wouldn’t be paying child support this summer. Can you tell me why, Mary Margaret?”
    Destiny heard some mumbled words back and forth between Kenneth and Mary Margaret. Then she heard him take Mary Margaret off speaker.
    â€œWhat?” she asked. “All of a sudden Mary Margaret doesn’t want to listen?”
    â€œThis doesn’t concern Mary Margaret.”
    â€œI agree,” Destiny said, “but you put her on the phone, not me.”
    â€œWell, I shouldn’t have. You and I will work this out. We always have, haven’t we?”
    Destiny had to agree. “Yes. That’s why this thing surprised me. It’s not like you, so I can’t help but feel there was some manipulation involved.”
    Kenneth sighed again. “Look, Destiny, maybe I did worrythat you wouldn’t let the kids come with me if you knew I was planning to stop the child-support payments.”
    Destiny sank back in her chair. “When did you start thinking so little of me, Kenneth? You, of all people, should know that I put the kids first.”
    â€œIf that’s the case, why are you arguing with me about the money?”
    â€œBecause you know as well as I do that I budget with that money in mind. If you were going to stop the payments, you should have discussed it with me so I could make the necessary adjustments.”
    â€œYou’re right,” he finally said. “I should have discussed it with you. It was unfair of me to drop it on you this way. I apologize.”
    Destiny wasn’t going to fall into that trap. “Does that mean you’re sending the money?”
    He sighed. “No, it means I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier that I wasn’t going to send it.”
    â€œThat’s not fair, Kenneth. What am I supposed to do? I was counting on that money.”
    â€œYou can’t tell me that your expenses aren’t less now than they would be if the kids were with you.”
    â€œYes, but not by that much. A major part of that support money goes for fixed expenses.”
    â€œSo what do we do? Do you want me to cut the trip short and bring the kids back home?”
    It was Destiny’s turn to sigh. Of course that wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted her kids to have the experience, but she also wanted