He Locked Me Out Now He’s Begging Me Back Chapter 11
“Then you should have done the math before you moved them in, instead of assuming I’d make up the difference.”
That shut him up for a few seconds. Then he seemed to remember something.
“What about Noah? Tessa’s new work schedule is all over the place. You need to pick him up from school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”
“He can take the bus.”
“He’s not used to it.”
“Then sign him up for after-school care.”
“It’s too expensive.”
“Then you should’ve budgeted for it ahead of time.”
Daniel looked at me, sounding more and more certain he was being reasonable. “Your afternoons are flexible. How long would it take to pick up a kid? I’m busy at work. I can’t just leave in the middle of the day.”
I opened my calendar. It was packed with project meetings and deadlines.
Before, one phone call from Tessa would make me push back my workday to head to the school; one “help out” from Daniel would turn my time into a shared family resource.
I closed the screen.
“Then Tessa can change her shifts, or you can ask for time off.”
“Claire, he’s only eight years old.”
“I know. But his mother and grandfather are both here.”
Daniel’s lips moved. He was probably about to invoke *family* again.
Before he could, I looked him straight in the eye and said,
“My time isn’t free either, Daniel.”