“Sure, of course you can,” I tell him, giving him a gentle smile.
Tane smiles at me gratefully. Thank you, he mouths.
I nod and sit down at the table. I better get used to this.
“Mum, what time is Justin coming tomorrow?” Parker asks around a mouth of food.
My lips tighten. “He can’t come tomorrow. I think he’s a little busy.”
Or his mum is a selfish bitch who wants your dad, and is now acting like a spoiled child who got her favourite toy taken away.
Tane tilts his head and watches me. “What happened?”
I look at Parker and try to answer. “Keira wasn’t too happy after …”
Tane’s jaw ticks. “You have got to be kidding me.”
I shake my head no.
“I’m sorry Giselle,” he says. “If I’d had any idea that you two were connected …”
He would have found someone else to sleep with?
I lift my shoulder in a shrug. “It’s done. We usually spend every Saturday with Justin, so this is going to suck.”
“I will handle it,” Tane announces, a sharp edge to his tone. I’m sure he will.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll call Levi, he will handle it for me,” I tell him, placing my fork down on my plate. The air in the room suddenly turns dense.
“I will handle it,” he repeats, looking down at his plate.
Okaaaaayy then.
I don’t know why, but I push. “It’s his sister, I’m sure he can handle the situation better than anyone else.”
Tane’s hands curl into fists on the table. “This is my family, and I will take care of it, no one else.”
I raise an eyebrow, wanting to say something, but not wanting to start a fight with Parker present.
Tane doesn’t look up at me to see my reaction. I sigh, pick up my fork and continue to eat.
“I want to play with Justin,” Parker speaks up into the silence.
“Justin will come over to play. Don’t worry, Parker,” Tane says in a calm tone.
“Okay,” Parker replies, grinning widely.
We eat the rest of the meal in silence.
“Thanks for dinner,” Tane says when he’s finished. “I’ll clean up since you cooked.”
“It’s okay—” I try to protest, but he starts collecting the plates and taking them to the kitchen. He empties the plates, rinses them, and loads them into the dishwasher, then he wipes down the counter and puts the rest of the food away.
I can’t help but find it strange to see Tane Miller cleaning my kitchen while I sit at the table with our son. I mean, seventeen-year-old me would have been fantasising about this very moment … I guess she just wouldn’t have considered all the baggage and complications that the fantasy would come with.
“I’ll give Parker a bath,” I say, standing up.
”I’ll give him a bath. Why don’t you relax for a little while?”
“Tane—”
“I have a lot of making up to do. Can’t you just let me feel useful for a little while? Please?”
“Well, when you put it like that …” I mumble.
His green eyes sparkle. “Come on, Parker, let’s give you a bath and get you ready for bed.”
Parker slides off the chair and follows behind his father.
“His towel and pyjamas are hanging on his door,” I call out.
Looks like this co-parenting thing isn’t going so bad after all.
*****
Tane
Time to handle this shit. The next day I pick up my phone, ready to sort this whole situation out.
I dial her number after I get it from Giselle. It rings three times before she answers.
“Hello,” she says.
“Keira, it’s me, Tane, from the other—”
“Oh, hey, Tane,” she says, cutting me off. “I was wondering when you’d call.” I’m guessing that saccharine tone was supposed to come across as seductive, but it makes me grind my teeth in annoyance. When I met her at a bar and she’d suggested we go back to her place, I’d thought why the hell not?
I’d take it back if I could.
“Yeah, sorry about that. Look, I had no idea you were Levi’s sister and that you knew Giselle,” I start off by saying. I try to continue but she cuts me off again.
“Well, I did tell you I was Levi’s sister, but I guess you were preoccupied.” Her voice goes low and I want to laugh at her suggestive tone. I wasn’t preoccupied; I was bored.
“Anyway, I’m really sorry for leading you on or whatever, and I hope we can be friends,” I say. I don’t really mean it, but I figure I could try for Parker. I know he loves Justin.
“Friends?” she asks incredulously.
“Giselle told me you wouldn’t let Justin hang out with them, and I was hoping you’d change your mind,” I say, hating having to suck up to her.