40 Something - Safety Read Online Free Page A

lunch.” Lindsay says.
“We’ll get you set up and then we’ll figure out what to do from
here.”
    What to do?
Isn’t that the question of the Century. What am I going to do now?
I’m not sure this was a good idea. Disappearing like that will only
upset Craig and I can’t have him upset. If he is upset I’ll never
get child support or my share of the house equity. If he’s mad he
won’t be fair. I spent every day of our marriage trying to make him
happy and now? I do something that I know will make him mad? My
stomach clenches and my body tenses at the thought of making him
angry on purpose.
    “Let me show
you the rooms and we can get what you brought unpacked. Charlie
said she’d get the rest sorted for you.”
    “Is Charlie
always so helpful?”
    “From what I
can tell she likes a good fight and she has a good heart. I don’t
know her well enough to say more than that.”
    “You
don’t?”
    “I met her a
few months ago, we hit it off and now we’re bffs. Here’s the first
room, what do you think?”
    The room is a
decent size with windows looking down on the building next door.
The other room is beside it and is identical. Both rooms have
double beds and a dresser with simple elegant furnishings.
    “Mom. This is
like a hotel.” Wyatt says.
    “I know.”
    “It even comes
with weekly maid service.” Lindsay says.
    “I’ll clean.
You don’t have to clean up after the kids and I.”
    “I don’t clean.
I have a cleaning service for that.”
    “I could do it
for you, that way you don’t have to pay them.”
    “Where’s the
fun in that? Come on Sophie, enjoy the labours of my ex and all his
money.”
    “Well, the kids
and I will do what we can to help. Won’t we you two?”
    “Yes. Mom.”
    “So, Wyatt and
Olivia who gets which room?” Lindsay asks.
    She’s bent over
to look them directly in the eye and is glowing with excitement.
They are all excited. I feel only dread. What is this going to cost
me?
    “I want this
one.” Wyatt says.
    They figure out
who gets what room and help me to bring up the boxes and suitcases
to put their stuff away.
    “Sophie. Your
room is upstairs, come see.”
    “My room? I can
sleep on the couch, I’m fine.”
    “Hell no. You
need your privacy young lady. Come on.” I follow Lindsay up a glass
staircase, I’m gonna have to crawl down it. “It’s not really a
bedroom, it’s an office but what do I need an office for? It’s all
yours.”
    Some office,
it’s gorgeous. A view of the bay, plush white carpets, ebony
bookcases filled with books, chairs, and a large ebony desk with a
computer. This is a dream.
    “All this will
be gone by tonight and you’ll have a bed to sleep on. It’s all been
arranged.”
    “Why?”
    “Hmm?”
    “Why are you
doing this? You don’t know me. You don’t know my kids. Why are you
being so kind?”
    “I don’t know.
You seemed like a nice person who just needed some help. I can
help.”
    “It’s only for
a little while, until I can find somewhere. I’ll start looking
right away. We won’t be here long.”
    “No hurry.” Her
phone rings. “Ah pizza is here.”
     
     

 
Rose
     
    Gus and Gary
are packing Sophie’s couch into the moving van while mom, Justine
and I pack up the boxes. Sophie doesn’t have much so we should be
done in a few hours. It would have been quicker if Charlene had
taken the day off work to help. If Charlene had just stayed then
Sophie would be here and this would get done that much faster. At
least Lindsay left right away, there are always blessings when you
look hard enough.
    It really
doesn’t make any sense why Sophie can’t stay at our house. We would
have made things work. It would be much easier for her to stay here
in town instead of dragging her kids downtown, where it isn’t safe.
How can anyone think that the city is a place to raise kids. Poor
Davie. He has to stay inside all the time because it’s too
dangerous for him to run around with friends. The city is not