Guilt washed over me. Eva had overheard me talk about her father’s future wife. Even though I disliked the woman with my soul, I shouldn’t have let Eva hear me talk about her.
“Well, it’s not right when I do it either.” I paused. “So they’re really getting married, huh?” I asked.
Eve sighed. “Yeah, Melody’s pregnant. We’re going to have a little rat running around trying to be our sibling, and I don’t want that. I just want it to be Kevin and me. No one else. Dad doesn’t have time for us as it is.”
“Where is your father?” I asked.
“Everyone is outside in the backyard. Melody’s parents came over to celebrate the baby, so it’s been about her all day.” Eva let out another exasperated breath. “When are you coming back, Mom? I’m ready to go.”
“I’ll be home Sunday morning,” I assured her.
“Can you come to get me when you get back?” she asked. “It’s not fair that I have to stay here for a whole month. Why am I being punished like this?”
I wanted to tell her I’d bring her home, but I couldn’t make any promises about her father’s court-ordered time. There were no guarantees when it came to Rodney.
“Honey, you’re not being punished. Everyone doesn’t get to spend time with their father. But I’ll talk to him about you coming home for a few days,” I said.
“He’ll say no. He doesn’t let me do anything,” she pouted.
“The month will be over before you know it, I promise.”
“I gotta go. He’s calling for me, Mama.”
“I love you, Eva.”
“I love you too.”
I put the phone on the table and stared at it after the call ended. I hated that my kids got the rotten end of the stick of me and Rodney’s failed marriage.
“Everything alright?” Jeb asked with concern in his eyes.
“My daughter isn’t happy that her father is getting married, and I don’t like it when she calls me upset.” I grabbed my phone and the book and walked past him to leave the living room.
Jeb grabbed my arm, causing me to look into his ocean blue eyes. “You’re always running. For once, don’t run. Stay here and talk to me.”
“The last time I started talking, we ended up kissing. I can’t handle kissing you two nights in a row. I might not be able to push you away this time,” I confessed.
“That wouldn’t be a bad thing, Tameka.”
“It would be devastating. I’m full of baggage. No man wants to be saddled down with that, and I’m not trying to put it on anybody.”
“I’m a strong man. I can carry a lot. Why don’t you let me decide what I want to handle?” he asked.
“I wouldn’t bring a man into a situation I haven’t figured out yet,” I said as I slipped my phone into my pocket.
“You don’t know what I want. If you did, you would give me a chance.” He moved toward me.
“I have two kids and enough drama to make an epic movie. You should run for the hills as most men would,” I told him as I stepped back and pointed toward the hallway.
“Most men,” he said, taking a step toward me. “I’m not most men.”
“Alright then, prove it,” I said. “We’re set to go out on a date. At the last minute, I realize Kevin has a baseball game scheduled for the same time. What do you do when I tell you about it?”
“Is this a trick question?” he asked.
“It’s not a trick question. I’m just trying to prove a point here. What do you do?” I asked.
“Our date plans shift to family night. I go to the game and then take you guys out for pizza afterward,” he said concisely.