Contracted To Love

And she knew that he knew it too.

Her heart was racing. He was doing this on purpose. Keeping her daughter away knowing that he was cultivating the divide between mother and daughter. Michelle had already missed so much. Her baby wasn’t so much a baby anymore and soon she would be too old and the damage done would be permanent.

“I want my kid, Jean. It’s been two months. Two freaking months!”

Michelle was surprised that her daughter still remembered her with the on and off schedule Jean had her on. It was a power move. The only move he had, but it was a move that constantly brought Michelle to her knees, and quite honestly, she was tired of it.

“You know the rules. When I’m away, she stays with my parents,” he said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

She rolled her eyes.

“I don’t understand that rule, I just don’t, because when you aren’t with her then I should be with her. Definitely not your parents!”

“They’re her grandparents!” Jean sounded agitated.

“Well, she has another set of grandparents, Jean. Did you ever think about that?”

There was a long silence from his side before she heard him exhale loudly.

“This is the arrangement. Either get with the program or…”

She rolled her eyes.

“Or what?” she asked angrily, cutting him short.

“Well, it’s pretty easy for you to talk like that while living in a million-dollar mansion in Greenwich. Isn’t it?”

She rolled her eyes for the millionth time.

“I don’t live in Connecticut. You’re misinformed.”

“I know your new man has a place up there.”

“So, what?” Michelle felt a new wave of anger. “What does that have anything to do with you? Whether or not he has a place there shouldn’t concern you.”

“Why don’t I believe you?” Jean asked.

“Jean, I do not live in Greenwich. I’m still in New York!”

“Oh yeah, because Greenwich is for the normal millionaire. You had to be a notch above the rest like you always had to be.”

Michelle was getting frustrated.

“Where is this conversation going exactly?”

“Well, I’ve been going through a tough time trying to invest in Andrea’s college fund….”

“Wait, what?” she shook her head. “Andrea has had a healthy college fund since before she was born. And you get almost ten grand a month from me in child support fees. So what now, you want more money?”

Silence.

“Answer me, Jean!”

More silence.

“Are you telling me if I cut you a check you’l let me have my daughter this weekend?” she asked again.

The desperation in her voice was apparent. Loud even. She’d been wrong. This was what he wanted. For her to beg. He’d won. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard his breath just before the line went dead.