Caving In

“Momma?” Mason asked quietly, kicking his feet as they hung off the end of the bed. “Where are we going?”

I zipped up the last suitcase, a loan from Lindsay, and sat down beside him, “I’m not sure yet, Sweetie,” I spoke softly as I ran my fingers through his light hair.

His eyebrows fused together in confusion, “Can’t we go back to Daddy’s? I bet that mean lady is gone.”

I sighed, feeling the dull ache in my chest. I thought I had gotten rid of it years ago, but apparently it followed in Matt’s footsteps. “I don’t know, baby. Mommy needs some time away from your dad right now.”

Mason’s eyes followed me around the room, picking random things up off the floor, “Mommy, are you and Daddy fighting?”

I stopped, glancing over at the bed. Mason’s head hung down as he played with his hands in his lap. I knelt down in front of him, taking a hold of his little paws, “No Mace, we aren’t fighting,” I paused, trying to find the words to explain to my six year old. “You remember when you used to go to that old daycare? The one by my work?” Mason nodded. “Well remember when that Kenny kid stole your lunch box? You were so mad, you didn’t talk to him for a few days afterwards, right?” He nodded again. “Well that’s what’s happening with Mommy and Daddy right now.”

“Oh,” Mason giggled. “Mommy, did Daddy steal your lunch box?”

I laughed, standing up and made my way to the suitcases again. “Something like that.”

Mason jumped off the bed and ran into the bathroom to grab his toothbrush. “Momma! Your phone is ringing!” he called, sticking his head out of the bathroom door.

“Please unplug it carefully and answer it,” I instructed, pulling a suitcase off the bed. “It’s probably Aunt Lindsay.”

“Hello?” Mason said loudly, answering the buzzing phone. “Hi Daddy!” Stopping in my tracks, my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. “I miss you…uh huh, she’s packing,” I fell back onto the soft mattress. Sold out by my six year old. “Do you want to talk to her?” Mason stepped out of the bathroom, waving at me with a smile that showcased his dimples. “Here she is, oh wait!” Mason retracted the phone quickly. “Daddy, why did you take Mommy’s lunch box?”

“Okay, that’s enough now, Mace,” I laughed, taking the cell from him. He giggled, turning around and disappearing out the door. I cleared my throat, reminding myself who was on the other end, “Hi Matt.”

“When did I steal your lunch box?” he chuckled, shuffling his phone around.

I smiled, but tried to keep it out of my voice, “It was a metaphor.”

“Uh huh,” Matt snickered. “I think you were just trying to make me out to be the bad guy.”

“No actually, as tempting as that sounds,” I mumbled, “I was trying to explain to him…why we aren’t staying with you anymore.”

“Oh,” Matt said softly, his joking tone gone. “You’ve been screening my calls.”

“I wasn’t ready to talk,” I agreed quietly, sitting on the foot of the bed as I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

“Are you ready to now?”

“Do I have much of a choice?”

“Allie, don’t be like that, please,” Matt pleaded. I couldn’t see his face but I could feel his pain. It was duplicated in my chest.

I softened my voice, picking at the bed spread beneath me. “Don’t you have some explaining to do?”

“Yes, but I don’t want to do it over the phone. Can I see you and Mason? Are you still at Lindsay’s? I’ll come see-,”

“No Matt,” I interrupted, the last thing I wanted was for Matt and Tyler to be in the same room, especially with Tyler’s strange behavior change. “We’ll come see you.”

“Oh, uh, well alright,” he chuckled. “Meet you at Central Park? The old play set?”

“We’ll be there.”