Chapter 8 - ADRIAN AND I STOP BEING ENEMIES
For months, Adrian and I communicated like opposing governments.
Schedules.
Medical appointments.
School.
Therapy.
No adjectives.
No emotions.
Then Evan broke his wrist falling from playground equipment.
The school called both of us.
We arrived within seven minutes of each other.
At the hospital, Evan cried while the doctor reset the fracture.
He reached one hand toward Adrian.
The other toward me.
We both took one.
That was the first time I understood what Evan had already decided.
He did not want one family to defeat another.
He wanted both of us.
Afterward, Adrian and I drank terrible hospital coffee.
He said:
“I hated you at first.”
I smiled.
“I noticed.”
“I thought you were going to take him.”
“I thought you stole him.”
“Fair.”
Silence.
Then he said:
“I should have investigated Vivian’s story.”
“Yes.”
He looked at me.
“You don’t have to soften it.”
“I know.”
“I should have.”
“And I should have gotten my own attorney before signing anything at twenty-two.”
“That doesn’t excuse what they did.”
“No.”
“But I have to understand my vulnerabilities too.”
Adrian nodded.
Then:
“Evan needs us not to make him responsible for our guilt.”
That was the smartest thing either of us had said.
From then on, cooperation became easier.
Not perfect.
Adrian still overcontrolled.
I still pushed too hard sometimes.
He believed security solved everything.
I believed information solved everything.
Dr. Hale repeatedly informed us neither of us was as clever as we thought.
Evan agreed.
No romance developed.
That surprised people.
Apparently two wealthy attractive adults sharing a child must eventually kiss.
We did not.
Adrian loved Vivian.
Complicatedly.
I had spent seven years reconstructing myself after Thomas.
What Evan needed was not another confusing adult relationship.
He needed stable parents.
We became that.
May you like
Eventually.
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