Breaking the Rules

by Tinthia Clemant

  “No, I… That was from when I couldn’t get in the house.”

  “Wow, what’d you use, a battering ram?”

  Dee turned the topic to Chad. “Shan, have you told Chad about the divorce?”

  “Yeah, I read him a book this morning. The Three Bears Get A Divorce.”

  “Get out.” Peg nearly chocked on her coffee. “Even the Three Bears have a lousy marriage?”

  “Apparently,” Shannon offered. “They realized they’d grown apart and decided it would be best for all of them if Mama and Papa Bear lived separately.”

  Peg leaned forward. “Do you think Chad understood?”

  “There’s no way to really know.” Shannon gathered her hair and tied it back with a bungee she had around her wrist. Chad hadn’t asked any questions except where Goldilocks was. “He just wanted to know what happened to Goldilocks.” She puffed out her cheeks and exhaled as she pushed her bangs off her forehead. “Before he fell asleep, I heard him explaining about divorce to his toys, so something got through. I’m sure the other shoe will drop, especially when we move.”

  “Speaking of which…” Dee ran into the kitchen and returned with a folded piece of paper. “Do you guys realize it’s still pouring outside? I hope they take the kids into the gym for recess. Otherwise, they’ll be bouncing off the walls when they get home.” She handed the sheet to Shannon. “I found you a temporary place to live if you’re interested.”

  “A condo?” Shannon said. “I don’t want to buy a condo. Plus, I can’t right now.”

  “I said temporary. Every month this place doesn’t sell, the owner gets all over me. I keep telling him to lower his asking price but, noooo, I’m just the realtor. He doesn’t want to sign a year rental agreement, and because I’m showing it, whoever lives there needs to stay super clean and clutter free. You’d have to live like a mouse and not disturb anything. Oh, and disappear for a few hours when I get a showing appointment. Interested?”

  Peg snatched the paper. “Shan, this is perfect.”

  “Maybe, but what do I do with my stuff?”

  “I have a moving company I recommend to sellers,” Dee said. “They do storage too. I’ve already called them, and they can come by here, pack, and move you in one day.”

  “But…” Shannon’s lower lip received a steady assault from her teeth. As she chewed on the already tender skin, she worried. How would Chad react to moving? And what about all the stuff she and Justin owned together? What about her freezer?

  “Shan.” Peg came and knelt by the recliner. “You have no other choice. You said the restraining order expires Saturday, and when Justin returns, you can’t stay here. This way, you’ll have a place to live until something permanent comes along.”

  “But…” Shannon looked over the paper again. Everything was happening too frigging fast.

  “Stop with the buts,” Dee snapped. “Peg’s right. When Justin gets home, if you’re still living here, all holy hell is going to let loose.”

  “What about my herb garden? And Jasper? Can I bring him to the condo?”

  “Shan, would you stop?” Dee’s patience appeared to be thinning. “I thought you wanted to do this? What did you think—you could tell Justin you’re divorcing him but still want live with him? You yourself said he told you to get out, and yes, you can bring Jasper, but you have to keep the place spotless.”

  Shannon took Dee’s s scolding in stride. “You’re right, but… Sorry, it’s just that… How much does storage cost?”

  Dee proudly added, “Thanks to my wicked good negotiating skills, I got the moving company to give you thirty days’ credit. St. John would be proud of me.” Dee grinned and settled into her corner of the loveseat. “Speaking of the devil, have you slept with him?”

  Peg was quick with a swat to Dee’s arm. “We agreed you would ask nice.”

  “I did ask nice.”

  Shannon picked at some cookie crumbs on her lap. “It’s complicated,” was all she could offer.

  “What’s so complicated? Either you have or you haven’t.”

  Peg grinned at Shannon. “Is he as good as the rumors say?”

  “Peg, stop.” Dee leaned forward and zeroed in on Shannon. “Come on, spit it out. Yes or no?”

  “Yes,” Shannon responded. “I’ve slept with him, on more than one occasion too, and I’d do it again if he asked.” She returned Peg’s grin. “I don’t know what the rumors say, but he’s like a frigging machine.”

  Dee wrinkled her nose and covered her ears with her hands. “No details, please.”

  “This is so exciting.” Peg clapped and then shoved her hands under her legs. “Sorry, I hope that didn’t wake Chad.”

  Shannon cocked her head. She listened for Chad’s voice. Satisfied he was still asleep, she said, “All good. As for St. John and me, we won’t be seeing anymore of each other. He ended it on the return flight.” She returned to her crumb collection. Last night, the thought had come to her that St. John didn’t want to see her because of how messy things with Justin would most likely get. He didn’t want to get dragged through the mud. Maybe when everything settled down…

  “Shan, have you fallen for St. John?”

  Any judgment Dee might have harbored seemed to be gone, and her question came across with empathy and caring.

  “Yes.”

  “Have you told him?”

  “No.” Shannon transferred the crumbs to her hand. “I’d be an idiot to jump from a marriage into a rebound relationship. Nothing ever comes of that.”

  “This isn’t rebound, Shan.”

  Peg stared at Dee. “Who are you, and what have you done with Dee?”

  “Yeah, seriously,” Shannon said. “Why aren’t you telling me ‘I told you so’?”

  Dee reached for the last cookie and broke it in half, offering one side to Peg and Shannon. “It’s complicated, like you said.”

  Peg snatched the biscotti and popped the entire section into her mouth.

  Meanwhile, Shannon remained staring at Dee. “I don’t get it, Dee. What’s happened that you’ve now changed your mind about me hooking up with St. John?”

  “Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m not thrilled he slept with you, but this thing you’ve got going with him is not rebound.”

  Peg swallowed her mouthful of cookie. “I’m really confused.”

  “Think about it.” Dee nodded to Shannon. “According to you, you left Justin, mentally and emotionally, a long time ago, right? Your mind has had plenty of time to get used to the idea of living without him. I would say you’ve been ready to meet someone for a while, and now you have. It’s not rebound, Shan. It’s real. Unfortunately, it’s St. John, and despite him being a great guy, he’s still the same man who’s torpedoed every relationship he’s ever had. He doesn’t even talk to his brother.”

  Peg chimed in with, “That’s not true. He’s friends with you and me and his lawyer. Plus, Howard and Jeff like him. Anyway, Malcolm started the whole not-talking thing, not St. John.”

  Dee said, “Great, he has friends, but he still can’t maintain a romantic relationship.”

  “Don’t listen to her, Shan. Adam loved Coleen, and his other wives were bitches who were after his money. All he needs is someone who isn’t going to trash his heart and who’ll yank him back in line when he behaves like a child.” Peg dropped to the floor and lay on her back. She tucked her heels close to her butt and pushed up on her feet and hands, contorting herself into a full wheel pose.

  Shannon stood and added the mugs to the tray. “It’s hard to take you seriously in, Peg, when you look like a human spider, but St. John made his decision, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

  “I’ll have a talk with him and tell him—”

  “Dee, just let it drop, okay?” Shannon said. “I’m fine, and besides, I have bigger problems to focus on.”

  She carried the tray into the kitchen and set it on the counter. Despite her protest, she wasn’t going to lie to herself. She wasn’t fine. S
he hated St. John being gone, but she’d been honest when she said she had a bigger problem, and soon it would be returning from Florida.

  Chapter 36

  “Sometimes your mind needs more time to accept what your heart already knows.”

  Anonymous

  Thursday ended without incident, and bright, sparkling sunshine announced the start of Friday. Shannon lay in her bed, the birds outside the bedroom windows doing their best to keep her from dozing back to sleep. The incessant chittering didn’t seem to bother Chad, who was still asleep. She toyed with the idea of keeping him home from school but knew it wouldn’t be fair. According to Dee and Peg, the entire baseball field would be taken over for the end-of-year celebration. Chad had to be there.

  “Munchkin, time to wake up.” She stroked his hair, and his eyelids fluttered open. “Good morning, sleepyhead. Ready for your last day of kindergarten?”

  “Morning, Mama. I want to stay with you.”

  “Why, sweetie?”

  “Daddy might take me again.”

  “Daddy’s not going to take you.”

  Chad snuggled close and shook his head. “I don’t want to go. Please.”

  It was super easy to envision herself letting him stay home. Hiding for one day had been enough. Now they both had to face the world. How else would they learn to survive in it?

  Jasper leaned his muzzle on the bed’s edge, his tail wagging, and licked Chad’s face.

  “See,” she pointed out. “Jasper wants you to go to school too. He knows you’ll have fun at the party.”

  “Party?” Chad sat up. “What party?”

  “The school party. Remember, for the end of school?”

  “I didn’t miss it?”

  “No, silly, it’s today. And tomorrow’s your birthday.”

  “I didn’t miss my birfday?”

  “Nope. After your baseball game, we’re going to have a huge party for you at the mini-golf place.”

  “Yay.” He ran to his bedroom, Jasper keeping up, and created a song about not missing the parties.

  His singing was music to her ears, even if he was off key. “Thank you, goddess,” she offered as she shuffled into the bathroom. “And thank you for Leeann too.” Words she never thought she’d utter, but if it hadn’t been for the blond gnome, Chad’s party would have been a bust. Yup, having Leeann as a friend was a whole lot better than having her as an enemy.

  When Shannon emerged from the shower, she found Chad lying on her bed, the new book open in front of him, Jasper next to him. “Mama, I haf a question.”

  She stood in the bathroom doorway, her toothbrush poised to enter her mouth. “Sure, munchkin. What’s up?”

  “Does Baby Bear haf to live with Daddy Bear?”

  “Um, hold on. Why are you asking that question?”

  Chad turned the pages of the book as he spoke. “Because Baby Bear doesn’t want to live with Daddy Bear.”

  “Wait a minute.” She returned her toothbrush to the bathroom and rinsed her mouth. Just when she thought she was out of the woods regarding the divorce and Chad’s understanding, he triggered a land mine.

  “Sweetie, scoot over and let Mama sit. How do you know Baby Bear doesn’t want to live with Papa Bear?”

  Chad rolled on his side and snuggled against Jasper. “He told me.”

  “Sit up, Chad, please. Baby Bear told you? What did he say?”

  Chad hung his legs off the side of the bed and arched his back, allowing his body to slide to the floor. “He doesn’t want to live with the new Baby Bear.”

  The phrase ‘new Baby Bear’ wasn’t setting well in her gut. A new baby, bear or not, indicated that…

  “Chad, stand up. Is Daddy having a baby?”

  “Silly, Mama, daddies can’t have babies, only mamas.”

  “Yes, I know that, but did Daddy tell you Shelby is having a baby?”

  “Uh-uh.” Chad shook his head and tugged on Shannon’s hand. “I’m hungry.”

  “Okay, go and get dressed while I do too. But first, did Daddy tell you not to tell me?” His refusal to answer spoke volumes. “You can tell me anything. No secrets, remember?”

  “But, Daddy said—”

  She drew him between her legs and raised his face so he looked at her. “Chad, no secrets. You have to trust me, okay?” His nod pushed her to ask again, “Is Shelby going to have a baby?”

  “Ah-ha.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I heard Daddy and Shelby say it. They thought I was asleep, but I wasn’t.”

  She held him and pressed her lips to the side of his head. “Thank you for telling me. I’m going to get dressed while you do and then…” She nudged her voice to a cheerful level and said, “We’ll have waffles for breakfast.”

  Chad raised his arms and cheered. Then he ran to his bedroom while she remained sitting.

  Justin had knocked up Shelby.

  Holy shit.

  ******

  The house, with its faded wallpaper, held onto its secrets. St. John walked through the empty rooms, listening for a trace of Meredith’s laughter, but the walls refused to release its ghosts.

  “Where are you, old girl?”

  Sadie came trotting into the room and looked at him, her head tilted. “Sorry, I was just talking to my… Never mind.”

  He climbed the stairs, remembering the times he’d run up and down them, his sneakers smacking against the worn wood. Malcolm had been the better runner, taking the steps two, and sometimes three, at a time. Some days their antics had driven Merry crazy enough that she’d told them to ‘take their shenanigans outside.’

  In the small bedroom, he stood by the window where his narrow bed had been. Outside in the front yard, the beech tree remained a sturdy reminder of the times they’d climbed to the top, each trying to beat the other’s speed. That was how living as Malcolm’s newly adopted brother had gone from the moment he’d stepped foot into the snug, hip-roof house. Who was faster? Who was stronger? Who could make the loudest farts or burp the longest? Who had more of Merry’s love?

  As Malcolm got older, he’d convinced himself she loved him less than his half-brother. All because he didn’t understand what he’d overheard.

  Merry’s words had been innocent enough, ‘You’re my son, Adam. Never forget that.’ That had been it. Not ‘You’re my favorite’ or ‘I love you more than Malcolm.’ Just a simple proclamation of affection for the child of her deceased lover.

  St. John strolled into the second room, the one they’d used as an attic. All that remained of the Christmas decorations were a few strands of tinsel, cracked by time and temperature. Malcolm had hired a disposal company to come in and remove every last piece of Meredith. Nothing was left except for the overgrown garden in the back and the bench by the pond where she’d sat each morning and sipped her tea.

  He opened the short door leading to the eaves. A mouse ran by his feet. Shannon being Wiccan might not mind having them around, but with mice came sharp teeth that liked to chew wires. He’d have an electrician come over and check over the place, along with an exterminator.

  “Consider this your eviction notice,” he said and shut and locked the door.

  Back on the first floor, he decided it was time to summon Denise. She owed him for Jeff’s birthday party.

  “I was going to call you,” was the hello he received.

  “Yeah, about what?”

  “I saw Shannon yesterday. Hold on.”

  He was treated to her shouting for Jeff to wake the kids and laughed to himself. If her raised voice hadn’t done the trick, nothing would get the kids up.

  “I’m back. I think you and I should discuss the Shannon thing.”

  Calling her had been a mistake. He should have texted her about his idea. He had to get on the road soon if he was going to reach the Hamptons by one. “I don’t need a lecture, Denise.”

  “No, you don’t. What you need is a smack to the head, but that’s not why I want to talk to you. I want to hear you
r side of the story.”

  “About?”

  “I don’t want to do this on the phone. Why did you call me?”

  “No, finish. What did Shannon say?”

  “St. John, for a smart guy, you’re not too bright. She’s in love with you, you moron. What I want to know is how do you feel about her? And don’t give me some bullshit about you helping her because you’re a nice guy and you’d fly to Disney for anyone. I want to hear the words. Do you love her?”

  “Yes, but get back to the part about her loving me. How do you know?”

  “She told me. Actually, she told me and Peg.”

  “I don’t get it. Why would she tell you, of all people?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? Why wouldn’t she tell me? I’m her friend.”

  “Yeah, a friend who’s been on her case to stay away from me. I bet you did the old ‘I told you so’ bit.”

  “I didn’t, and you can ask Peg. I’ll tell you the same thing I said to her: I’m not happy you two let this happen, but it did. What I want to know is what are you going to do about it?”

  “That is why I called.”

  “Hold on.”

  More yelling on Denise’s side of the call gave him a chance to revisit what he’d learned. Shannon loved him. All her bluster about not caring for him had been a ruse. So why hadn’t she reached out? Maybe she was willing to ignore her feelings and get on with her life without him in it. He might have missed his shot.

  “I’m back, but you have to talk fast. I have to get the kids to school.”

  “I called Malcolm, and I’m heading to the Hamptons to attend a party he’s giving—”

  “Hold the fuck up. You called Malcolm, and he invited you to the Hamptons?”

  “Sure did. We’re going to work things out and hopefully go forward. I’m going to ask him—”

  “I’m impressed, St. John. This is huge. What did he say?”

  “I thought you had to get going? Please stop asking questions and let me finish. I plan on asking Malcolm if he’ll rent the house to Shannon with an option to buy. What I need you to do is show the house to Shannon.” He ran his hand over a crack in the wall. Even though the house was in disrepair, there was no doubt in his mind Shannon would say yes. This was the house from her dream or vision or whatever she called it. Merry’s house was Shannon’s house. “Can you get her here this weekend?”