Chapter 17
Mymomhasa way of returning my phone calls at the worst possible time. Like today as I’m pulling into Oakside. Now I have to sit in my car and talk to her, or she won't leave me alone, and I have plans with Gavin tonight.
"Mom, I have to make this quick. I'm heading into work."
"I'll never get used to this time difference. How's Graham?"
Every phone call, she wants to know how Graham is, not me so much. I guess that's what happens when parents become grandparents. They focus on their grandkids more than their own kids. Our situation was even more unique since they helped me raise Graham for the first few years of his life.
"He’s doing great. He had a sleepover at James's house, and they're already planning another one at mine. He talks to Gavin every day, and he’s been spending a bunch of time with him. Gavin’s been coming over several times a week to have dinner with us."
My mom is silent. This is the first time I've talked to her since Gavin has been in Graham’s life. When she finally speaks, her cheery, happy tone is long gone. "So, you did exactly as we said not to and told Gavin, huh?"
"Yes, I did because it wasn't your decision to make. It was mine, and if you think Gavin did all those things you were accusing him of, you never knew him. For one thing, he’s in no position to take on a child full time on his own, nor would he try to grab him or anything like that."
"You don't know that. He could be lulling you into a false sense of security while he talks to lawyers getting ready to snatch your son out from underneath you," Mom snaps.
What the hell is wrong with her? I know my parents weren't overly thrilled about me dating Gavin back then, seeing as he was a foster kid, but he’s not a bad person. They’re acting like he's a horrible person who’s going to take Graham, and I'll never see him again. That’s not Gavin at all.
"Mom, Gavin was injured. That's why he’s at Oakside. He lost his sight, and he's learning to live again. No court would grant him full custody, and I have documented proof I tried to reach out to him. I never kept Graham from him. Remember all those letters?"
My mom is silent, no doubt remembering the months following finding out I was pregnant and how I tried to reach Gavin in any way possible. I sent letters to any contact I could find asking for his information. Most of them came back returned to sender and unopened. Toward the end, several of them didn't come back at all.
Every time one of them came back, I would break down in tears of frustration and sadness because I couldn't reach him. It broke my heart that my child wouldn’t know his father. Eventually, my parents sat me down and said the strain and the stress weren’t good for the baby. They begged me to drop it until the child was born, and I agreed.
Once Graham was born, I tried one last time to find Gavin, even using social media. After sending out a few more letters that were returned to me, I finally accepted I was going to be a single mom. I never expected Gavin to walk back into my life.
"That may be for now, but you let this stranger into your son's life, and you don't know what could happen or what he could try to do later."
"Mom, I don't know where this paranoia comes from, but that's not Gavin. I know it, and you know it. But regardless, Graham is my child, and I decide who I want in his life. He deserves to have his father, and Gavin deserves to be in his life. You don't have to agree with my decision, but I would like you to respect it."
Having Gavin back in our lives has changed things. I won't deny it. A few months ago, I wouldn't have had the backbone to stand up to my mom after all their help.
"And what about the job you interviewed for here in Arizona?" she asks like it's her trump card.
"They called and offered me the job, and I turned them down. Gavin is here, and this is where I plan to stay."
There’s probably a better way to break the news to my mom, but I’m done. Why not get it all out in the open, and she can be angry at me for a few days, maybe a week, before she gets over it and we can move on?
"You can't be serious. We’re your family, and you should be here with us."
"Yes, you’re my family, and you helped me out so much with Graham, but Gavin is his father and I’m his mother. This is where we’re staying for as long as Gavin needs to be here. He's missed the last seven years, and I won’t let him miss anymore."
"So, we're supposed to accept we're never going to see our grandson again?"
I'm officially done with this conversation. I don't know what's gotten into my mom. She must be having a bad day because this isn't like her. It's best I get off the phone before we say something we’ll regret.
"You guys moved out there to take care of Grandma. You knew we would be staying here. Nothing’s changed. If you want to see your grandson, come out here, or we’ll come out there when we can. I have to get to work, but I’ll talk to you later. I love you. Goodbye."
Hanging up, I cringe. I make sure my phone is on silent before going in to see Gavin. I make it no further than the lobby before Lexi stops me.
"Heads up. Noah told me Gavin's in a bad mood today," Lexi says.
"Why, what happened?"
"Well, according to Noah, his doctor told him about that experimental surgery in Baltimore where he could regain some of his sight. Now he’s all upset and refuses to even consider going."
"Okay, I'll talk to him, find out what's going on, and let you know. How are you feeling? Any signs of contractions?"