To my surprise, Dex hung out with the kids all day. They even played basketball in the backyard. After the game, they entered the house huffing and puffing. They had smiles on their faces. “I’d like to take you all to dinner, Cass.”
I blinked.
“Oh, Mom, can we? Please?” Max asked.
“Please,” Kyra begged.
“Two against one. I guess that’s a yes,” I admitted.
“Great,” Dex said. “How about a Mexican restaurant?”
“Okay,” I agreed. “Go wash your hands, and we’ll get going,” I instructed the kids.
We went to dinner, then got ice cream afterward. I was proud of myself. I was able to sit at the same table as Dex and did not feel the desire to choke him. I wasn’t angry anymore. I was okay. We were okay. Ray had a lot to do with it, though. I realized that what I felt for Dex was little and mild compared to how I felt about Ray. What Ray and I had was stronger and deeper. We didn’t keep anything from each other, and we fit. When I was with Dex, we were kids. Kids pretending to be adults.
“Hey, Dad, can you come to my game tomorrow?” Max asked.
“Sure,” he said.
“Awesome!” Max exclaimed.
On Sunday Dex arrived holding the hand of who I assumed was Mel. I squinted at her. I was not required to talk to her. I sat in my usual spot at the top of the bleachers with my back resting against the wall. Kyra sat to the right of me. She had her earbuds in, but she saw them walk when I did. “I can’t believe he brought her,” Kyra said.
“It’s okay, Kyra,” I said through gritted teeth. “It’s his wife now.”
Kyra laughed. “It… ha!” She giggled some more.
I couldn’t help it. I examined Mel from the top of her blonde hair down to her skinny neck, big fake boobs, and flat ass. So, that’s his type now? I shook my head and rolled my eyes. Despite how much I wanted to scratch the homewrecker’s eyes out, I said, “Kyra, you can sit with your dad and Mel if you want. Don’t worry about me. Okay?”
“Thanks, Mom, but I’d rather stay with you.”
That’s my girl! I grinned.
A few minutes later, my body became alert and my hormones kicked into overdrive as Ray strolled into the gym. It seemed all eyes naturally gravitated to him. He commanded attention. He looked up to me, nodded, and waved. I waved back. Then he sat next to Dex and leaned in close, as if he didn’t want anyone around them to hear their conversation. Dex nodded his head, then he said something to Ray. Dex glanced up at Kyra and me. Mel just sat there, looking straight ahead. It was as if she was deliberately looking straight ahead to avoid eye contact with me.
Just before the game started, Dex rose to h
is feet. He shook Ray’s hand and glanced at Mel, then said something to her. She shook her head to say no. He climbed up the bleachers to sit on the other side of Kyra.
“Hi,” he greeted us.
“Hey, Dad,” Kyra said with a smile.
Impressive. Come to Kyra; don’t wait for her to come to you. I smiled.
Kyra and Dex talked while watching the game. It was good to hear Kyra laugh every once in a while as they talked. I, on the other hand, began to scowl and felt uneasy. I couldn’t focus on the game. I missed seeing Max make a couple of shots because I was too busy looking down at Ray with Mel. He had scooted right beside her. They were talking animatedly and had even laughed a few times. Damn it! I groaned.
Cathy rushed up the bleachers, huffing and puffing and out of breath. “Hi, Cass. Happy to see you. Man, I thought I wasn’t going to make it. I had to drop something off at my cousin’s, and…” She must have noticed my clenched teeth and death stare. She followed my gaze to see what had me so bent out of shape.
“Uh-oh,” she said. “Hmm, he sure didn’t waste any time, did he? Are you okay?”
I growled, then grunted in response.
Kyra and Dex heard my reply, then looked to see what had prompted it.
“Oh, don’t worry about it, Cass. Ray is just keeping her company while I’m hanging out with Kyra.”
“Right,” Cathy said at the same time I did.