Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 109608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 438(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
“That it isn’t all that fun to be the cause of Nico’s troubles in his marriage,” I answered.
Jamie shook his head.
“Stop thinking that, Nora. It has nothing to do with you. Please know, I will be cordial to her for as long as she lasts, but I’m going to say it like I see it, she’s a judgmental bitch. I’m all for social justice. What I don’t like are these self-proclaimed social justice warriors who are so grounded in their beliefs, they think they speak for everyone, when they don’t. She tuned out after that big scene, because if she tuned in, she’d have to confront the reality that you’re a human with feelings, regardless you live in a palatial apartment. You can be hurt. Your life isn’t always roses. And you were hurt. Gravely. But you kept your family together. It was you who earned the respect you received today, not only from your children, but from Darryn and Archie. This tells me she’s not a listener, but she fancies herself a preacher. She doesn’t understand there isn’t a single decent preacher on this planet who isn’t, first, a damn good listener. If they don’t have that skill, any word that comes out of their mouth loses meaning, because they’ve lost touch. She has no idea how this world should be because she’s lost touch.”
My Jamie was so very wise, and I felt better.
Not great.
But better.
So I nodded.
Jamie remarked, “I always liked your son. I respect him a good deal more now.”
“Well, at least something positive came from the day,” I mumbled.
Jamie set his book aside so he could turn to me and pull me up and into his arms (Heiress didn’t like this much, but she’d be back, I’d noticed she didn’t tend to stray too far from her new daddy).
“Before you say it, yes. I should have let you deal with Roland,” I proclaimed.
“That wasn’t what I was going to say. You told me you’d contacted him, today was all on him. Even I couldn’t guess he’d pull that move.”
“Your cock didn’t warn you?” I asked, trying to inject humor in our dreary discussion.
The corners of his eyes wrinkled, and he said, “That wasn’t man shit, that was spoiled-boy-tantrum shit. So no, my cock doesn’t know anything about that.”
I laughed and tucked my head in the crook of his shoulder.
Jamie stroked my back. “Another positive, your kids love you very much. Felice looked like she was sucking lemons when Nico was describing how you were a great mom. It isn’t something she understands, but she can’t deny you love your kids, show them in a number of ways, and were always there for them. It explains why they rally around you, something she probably won’t allow herself to understand either. But she doesn’t like it.”
“How long do you think they have?” I asked.
“I’d put money down on them fighting all the way to Vermont, if she didn’t give him the silent treatment. And I think he’ll think that’s fucked up, because he went through some serious shit today, so she should be all about him. As such, I wouldn’t worry about buying her a present at Christmas.”
“Well, that’s a relief,” I quipped to hide my dismay my son’s wife was more than likely not supporting him after that awful scene. “She’s immensely difficult to buy a gift for.”
“I have no doubt,” he murmured with humor.
I looked at him. “Are we going to make love?”
He tipped his head to the side. “If you want to. But I thought maybe just cuddling and reading might be a nice change of pace.”
Ah.
My Jamie.
He wanted to make love. He had an active libido. It was a miracle he’d gone without for so long between Rosalind and me (truth told, I didn’t know if he actually had, I didn’t ask, and wouldn’t, but I would listen if he cared to share).
No, he was offering me a different kind of intimacy, and showing me a window into our future that wasn’t always about performing and grand gestures, but sometimes having quiet times and togetherness.
And I loved when Jamie made love to me, but frankly, tonight, I needed cuddling.
“I’ve been neglecting my book,” I noted.
He looked to my nightstand, then to me. “Get it, darlin’.”
I turned and grabbed my novel, and my reading glasses.
Then I turned back to Jamie and cuddled in.
We each found a comfortable position to be able to hold our books and turn pages.
I fell asleep before Jamie.
But I woke when I felt my book slide from my fingers, the lights going off, and he tangled himself in me. Not long later, Heiress returned and draped herself over both our ankles, because she loved her daddy, but she also loved Mother.
Witnessing even one of your children’s pain was impossible to take, so doing that with three was excruciating.