Kayden over my family. I'm choosing Kayden over you."
He slammed the phone, and I just stood there. I had never said anything like that to Julian. I was always afraid to tell him how I really felt.
Kayden grabbed my hand and whispered, "You can go and have breakfast with them, it's okay, and I'm okay."
"No, I know Julian is trying to use the kids against me, against us. I refuse to play his game."
This time I was the one grabbing the menu and ordering room service for breakfast.
I got up and dressed for the day. We were supposed to go to the hospital at twelve but wanted to eat before I left, I was famished. We ate like we had been eating the last couple of mornings, in silence. After finishing my meal I asked, "Will you join us today at the hospital?"
"Do you want me to?" he responded.
"Yes."
"Then I will."
"Have I told you thank you for being at my side during this most difficult time, for your support and help?"
"You have… in so many ways. Let me get ready and make sure the limo is outside by twelve. Please call Vickie and make sure they are okay. I don’t want to be the reason you have a rift with your children at this time in your life. Tell her we'll be meeting downstairs at twelve and that I am coming too, you don't want any surprises. It's going to be okay, give them time."
I simply nodded, knowing that he was right and grateful for his thoughtfulness.
A few minutes before twelve thirty we arrived at the hospital. I asked Kayden to go in with me to see my mother; we both talked to her in that combination of English and Spanish that she preferred. Then the kids went in one by one, followed by Julian. He was fuming. In so many ways he felt betrayed by me regardless of the fact we had been divorced for more than two years, and apart for three. This was his mother-in-law, and I had to go in to see her during her final hours with another man. I had no time to deal with his injuries; at six fifty-five p.m. my mother passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family. Per her request, there was no wake, no funeral. She was cremated. On Sunday we rented a boat and went to the warm waters of the Caribbean to scatter her ashes for her final resting place. She loved daisies and orchids, so we bought hundreds of them and scattered them with the ashes to accompany her on her journey home. Safe travels Mommy, we love you.
Chapter Nine
I returned to Chicago Monday morning; the kids and Julian Sunday evening. Kayden stayed with me that last night in Miami. The city will always have special significance to me; not only did I lose my mother there, but I got to fall in love one more time. I thought you could love only once, but with Kayden I learned that second chances are possible. We had a long way to go but I was happy just to have him by my side for that week.
Love is a funny thing; it comes when you least expect it, when you are not looking for it. At this time in my life I knew it didn't last forever unless you nurtured it, unless you were willing to fight for it. I knew Kayden was worth fighting for, he'd been by my side during the darkest moments, the ones that show what's in a man's soul and I knew that even if he didn't know it yet, he loved me too.
Kayden went straight to his office that afternoon; he had tons of work to catch up.
"Do you want me to pick up some food on the way home?"
"Don't worry, we can order when you get back."
On the way "home," he had said. Home, his place or mine? The hotel had seemed like home, but now back in Chicago, which place was home?
I had to call my friends, let the kids know I arrived in one piece; I could not do any of that. I went straight to my bedroom and went into bed clothes and all, covered from head to toe. At seven Kayden came home, worried because I had not answered his
He slammed the phone, and I just stood there. I had never said anything like that to Julian. I was always afraid to tell him how I really felt.
Kayden grabbed my hand and whispered, "You can go and have breakfast with them, it's okay, and I'm okay."
"No, I know Julian is trying to use the kids against me, against us. I refuse to play his game."
This time I was the one grabbing the menu and ordering room service for breakfast.
I got up and dressed for the day. We were supposed to go to the hospital at twelve but wanted to eat before I left, I was famished. We ate like we had been eating the last couple of mornings, in silence. After finishing my meal I asked, "Will you join us today at the hospital?"
"Do you want me to?" he responded.
"Yes."
"Then I will."
"Have I told you thank you for being at my side during this most difficult time, for your support and help?"
"You have… in so many ways. Let me get ready and make sure the limo is outside by twelve. Please call Vickie and make sure they are okay. I don’t want to be the reason you have a rift with your children at this time in your life. Tell her we'll be meeting downstairs at twelve and that I am coming too, you don't want any surprises. It's going to be okay, give them time."
I simply nodded, knowing that he was right and grateful for his thoughtfulness.
A few minutes before twelve thirty we arrived at the hospital. I asked Kayden to go in with me to see my mother; we both talked to her in that combination of English and Spanish that she preferred. Then the kids went in one by one, followed by Julian. He was fuming. In so many ways he felt betrayed by me regardless of the fact we had been divorced for more than two years, and apart for three. This was his mother-in-law, and I had to go in to see her during her final hours with another man. I had no time to deal with his injuries; at six fifty-five p.m. my mother passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family. Per her request, there was no wake, no funeral. She was cremated. On Sunday we rented a boat and went to the warm waters of the Caribbean to scatter her ashes for her final resting place. She loved daisies and orchids, so we bought hundreds of them and scattered them with the ashes to accompany her on her journey home. Safe travels Mommy, we love you.
Chapter Nine
I returned to Chicago Monday morning; the kids and Julian Sunday evening. Kayden stayed with me that last night in Miami. The city will always have special significance to me; not only did I lose my mother there, but I got to fall in love one more time. I thought you could love only once, but with Kayden I learned that second chances are possible. We had a long way to go but I was happy just to have him by my side for that week.
Love is a funny thing; it comes when you least expect it, when you are not looking for it. At this time in my life I knew it didn't last forever unless you nurtured it, unless you were willing to fight for it. I knew Kayden was worth fighting for, he'd been by my side during the darkest moments, the ones that show what's in a man's soul and I knew that even if he didn't know it yet, he loved me too.
Kayden went straight to his office that afternoon; he had tons of work to catch up.
"Do you want me to pick up some food on the way home?"
"Don't worry, we can order when you get back."
On the way "home," he had said. Home, his place or mine? The hotel had seemed like home, but now back in Chicago, which place was home?
I had to call my friends, let the kids know I arrived in one piece; I could not do any of that. I went straight to my bedroom and went into bed clothes and all, covered from head to toe. At seven Kayden came home, worried because I had not answered his
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