Knight In Black Leather by Gail Dayton (ebook reader ink .txt) 📕

panted for breath, so Marilyn figured he was okay. "Eli? You break anything new?"

"Don't think so." His voice sounded funny. He grunted, shoving Pete into a new position. "That's better. You weigh a ton, kid. How about you, Marilyn? You break anything?"

"No, but that cast on your leg is going to put a serious dent in my leg if you don't move it sometime soon."

When he picked the leg up, he also moved both of Pete's. Rearranged to their mutual satisfaction, they lay on the floor a while longer. Marilyn didn't know about the other two, but she wasn't sure she'd object if they lay on the floor together the rest of the day.

Pete's laughter had crawled down inside her to rip open old scars papered over festering wounds. It hurt--oh, how it hurt--remembering other laughter, other silly games. And yet...she could play them. She could laugh, and remember, and not be dying inside.

It had been five years, so maybe it was just the passage of time that made the difference. But she didn't think so. If Eli hadn't dropped into her life, needing, wanting things from her, she might never have spoken Kevin's name aloud again. Pete's presence had broken the dam, but Eli was the one who made it possible.

How would she bear it when he left?

Eighteen

***

"Better get up from here," Eli said. "We got things to be doing today."

"Like what?" Pete propped his head on Marilyn's arm so he could look at Eli.

"Like get you registered for school."

"School?" Pete made the word sound like the bubonic plague. "Gimme a break."

Eli sat up and cuffed Pete lightly on the head. "Spring break's coming up in another couple of weeks. You can have a break then."

Where would Julie be for spring break, Marilyn wondered. Would she want to come home?

Eli stood, using the cabinet for support, and held his hand out to his son. Pete put his hands behind his back, hiding them. "Come on. Let's go." Eli beckoned, obviously losing patience.

"Why?"

"Because I'm the dad and I said so." The instant the words were out, Eli froze, his eyes going wide.

Marilyn had to laugh. "Never said that before, huh? Amazing the kinds of things that kids can make come out of your mouth."

She pushed Pete off her and took Eli's outstretched hand to get up. Then she reached back and snagged Pete's arm, hauling him to his feet. Eli caught hold partway up and helped.

"Your dad explained why," Marilyn said. "Just because you don't want to hear it doesn't mean he didn't tell you. He's the dad. You're the kid. He's the one who gets to decide about big stuff like school."

"Boy," Pete sounded disgusted. "You really are a mom, aren't you?"

"Yep."

"So if Eli gets to decide the big stuff, what kind of stuff do I get to decide?"

"Important stuff. Like what to wear to school."

"That's not important."

"Sure it is," she said. "You don't want the other kids to think you're a dork, do you? Eli'd probably pick out something pink."

"He would not."

Eli handed Pete his coat, then got Marilyn's.

"Oh." She took it hesitantly. "I--I'm invited?"

"You know where the school is. After we get the squirt situated, I thought we might head over to the apartment and start packing your stuff."

"Do I have to stay there?" Pete whined. "Today?"

"We'll see what they say at the school."

They did want Pete to stay. Eli explained that Pete had recently lost his mother and put Marilyn on the list of persons who could pick his son up from school. The new teacher referred to Marilyn as Pete's grandmother, whereupon the boy informed her in his loudest voice that Marilyn was his dad's girlfriend. The two males thought it was hilarious. Marilyn was never so glad to get out of anywhere, and she wasn't sure Mrs. Grabowski would ever be able to look her in the eye.

She and Eli spent what was left of the day packing up their belongings--both Eli's and hers--at the apartment. She sent Eli by himself to pick up Pete from school. She was about to unplug the phone and add it to a box when she realized that Julie didn't know about the move.

Marilyn dialed Julie's number. Of course the machine picked up. "Hi, sweetie, it's Mom. I wanted to let you know I'm moving back to the house. So, um--the old phone number is good, and the new one isn't."

She hadn't said one word about Eli. Julie might think like Mom had, that things were going back like they were. Marilyn had to correct that impression. "Eli says to tell you hi. I love you, baby. Call me, okay?" She barely got the last words in before the message box beeped, clicked and shut off.

Marilyn wiped her eyes as she hung up the phone. Why wouldn't her family try to understand? Then Pete hurtled through the door with his boisterous energy, a dozen steps ahead of Eli, and Marilyn didn't have time to be anything but busy.

With Joey's help and his friend's pickup, they got everything moved except the fold-out sofa. That would have to wait till Eli got his casts off, because it was so heavy.

Eli hated not being able to do more, but he wanted Marilyn's stuff at her house, with his and Pete's, now. He couldn't wait till the casts came off, even if it was only four more days. He watched Pete jump around, getting in the way a lot, but actually being a lot of help too.

The kid blossomed under all the attention. And despite the protests, it was obvious to Eli that Pete craved every hug and kiss Marilyn showered on him. Like father, like son, he figured. Marilyn was the kind of mother Pete needed. The kind he deserved. How could Eli make sure Pete never lost this mothering?

Eli left Marilyn home unpacking to take Pete to school the next morning. On the way back, traffic was hideous, so he tried an alternate route to reach the