"Toni you and Jason come and eat" I called out to the kids as I set their plates of pizza on the table. I didn't feel like cooking tonight. The kids came running into the kitchen and sat at the table. I went to the refrigerator grabbed the juice that I made earlier and grabbed them some cups to pour their juice in. I poured them their juice and put their cups in front of them.
"Thank you, aunty"
"Thank you, mommy". They both said simultaneously.
"You guys are welcome. Let me know if you want more." I said to them. I went to the cabinet and grabbed two wine glasses and a bottle of wine out of the wine rack on the counter. I walked into the living room where Trina was on the sofa searching for something to watch. She noticed me walk into the living room with the wine and wine glasses and put the remote down.
"Okay. I guess it's that kind of night where we get straight to the point." Trina said after seeing the bottle of wine in my hand. I sat on the couch next to the sofa that Trina was sitting on.
"Yes. We need to talk about the whole situation with my meeting with Tony. We have this bottle and a few more in the kitchen we may need it." I put the glasses and the bottle of wine on the table and then realized that I forgot the wine bottle opener in the kitchen.
"What's wrong?" Trina asked. She must have noticed the change in the look on my face.
"Girl I forgot the wine bottle opener. I will be right back" I left the glass and bottle with Trina and went back into the kitchen. When I entered the kitchen Jason and Toni were talking away. It sounded like they were talking about what they had going on at the community center.
"Are you guys okay?" I asked as I looked into the utensil drawer for the opener.
"Aunt Chanaé can we get more pizza?" Jason asked.
"Yes, mommy can we get more?" I grabbed the wine bottle opener and then the pizza box off of the island and brought it to the table. She put the box in the middle of the table in front of the kids.
"I am putting this here but you are not allowed to eat more than two more pieces. I am not nursing either one of you this evening from an upset stomach." I grabbed the cups in front of the kids and went to the fridge to refill them. She brought the cups back to the table.
"If you guys need anything we are in the living room." I went back into the living room and sat back on the sofa. I grabbed the wine bottle and used the bottle opener to open it. I opened the bottle and poured Trina some in her cup before handing her glass to her and filling mine before setting the bottle on the table and sitting back taking a big gulp of my wine.
"Oh my God, this wine is good." I know I must have needed this glass because it tasted way better than it should have.
"It is" Trina replied putting her cup down on the table. I kept my cup in my hand I needed it as close as possible.
"So, it happened" I explained to Trina.
"Wait, what happened?" She asked picking her glass back up and drinking from it.
"I met with Tony the other day." Trina almost spits her wine out when I finished my sentence.
"So, you went to meet with him, or you ran into him?" She asked.
"So the day after you and I talked I went over to his mothers' house and asked him to meet me in the park," I explained to her.
"So did you tell him about Toni?" She asked.
"I did tell him and he was mad at first. He was even a little madder when I told him that he should be happy that I didn't tell him because if I did he might not have had the career that he has now. He wants to meet her, I told him that he could but it would not be as her father but as a friend that I knew growing up." I explained to her.
"You know that I always thought that you should have told him from the beginning. I will always have your back and stand with you no matter what decision you make, but I think that if you didn't have to be a single mom you shouldn't. It's hard and I don't wish it on anyone. You know Jasons' father stopped coming around and changed his number as soon as I told him about Jason. Don't get me wrong I love my son but I wish he had that dad figure in his life." I knew what she meant I worked twice as hard to finish high school and my degree because I had to make my schedule around work and Toni. I love my daughter to death and would not change her being in my life, I am glad she chose me to be her mom, I just know it would have been easier if I was doing it with someone or without a child.
"You know back then I just didn't want to be the one to ruin his career, especially because I didn't… think I was keeping her," I said that last part as a whisper leaning in towards Trina. I would never want Toni to overhear anything close to me saying I thought about not keeping her. I still regret thinking it when I look at her, I cannot think of a life without that little girl in it, she is my best accomplishment.
"I think that you should have let him make that decision. You know if it were you and someone took away your ability to make a choice you would be livid." She explained as she reached forward and refilled her glass of wine.
"You sound like him. He dared to say that I want things my way or no way." I answered as I took a sip of wine.
"Well…" She only got that out before she was interrupted by the kids coming into the living room.
"Mommy we're finished," Toni said as she sat on the couch next to me and Jason on the Sofa next to Trina.
"Okay, you guys can go in the playroom while aunty Trina and I talk." I didn't like the kids to be around when we were drinking, plus the conversation wasn't one I wanted them to hear. The playroom was right across from the living room. It was supposed to be an office when I brought the house but I figured it was better made to be a playroom so that I can keep an eye on Toni and she didn't have to be in my living room.
"Okay." They both said in unison and headed towards the playroom.
"Wait, did you guys put your dishes in the sink?" I asked before they made it out of the living room.
"Yes, we did aunty" Jason answered and they continued to the playroom.
"I am going to grab another bottle and something for us to munch on while we drink. Plus make sure that they put their dishes in the sink." I said getting up and going into the kitchen. As I got up I saw that Trina emptied the bottle of wine into our cups and handed it to me. I grabbed the bottle and went into the kitchen. The kids had put their dishes in the sink, so I grabbed the box of pizza off of the table and placed it on the island. I ordered wings with the pizza so I grabbed them out of the oven and put them on top of the stove. I grabbed a plate out of the cabinet placed some of the wings on the plate and placed them in the microwave. As the wings warmed I grabbed some celery out of the fridge and rinsed them off. I cut some up and placed them on a long-serving plate. I grabbed the wings out of the microwave and placed them on the serving plate. As I went to put the last wing on the plate my phone started vibrating. I grabbed my phone and it was a text message from Tony. The message asked if we were still on to meet for tomorrow. I know I said that I would agree for him to meet Toni but I was beginning to feel anxious about him meeting Toni. I messaged him back saying sure and put my phone back in my pocket. I put the dressing on the plate and grabbed another bottle of wine. I went into the living room and sat back in my spot. I put everything in my hands on the table in front of us. I looked up and realized that Trina was finishing up the last of the wine in her cup. I handed her the bottle of wine and the opener so that she could open the bottle and pour herself a glass of wine. I grabbed my cup and a piece of chicken to eat I sat back and ate and drank my wine.
"Guess who just text me?" I asked Trina as she and I sat back and sipped wine.
"Who?" She asked as she reached for a celery stick and dipped it in the dressing. As she put the celery stick to her mouth she dropped some dressing on her shirt, that's when I realized that I forgot the napkins.
"Oh, I forgot the napkins in the kitchen" I got ready to get up to grab them.
"It's ok I will grab it," Trina said getting up and going to the kitchen. She grabbed the napkins off of the island and returned to the living room.
"Thanks," I said putting my glass down and grabbing a napkin to clean my fingers.
"So who text you?" Trina asked grabbing a wing and her glass to sit back to eat and drink.
"Tony just text me while I was in the kitchen to make sure that we are on for tomorrow." I sipped my drink and grabbed another wing.
"So, you did decide that you're going to do it?" Trina asked as she continued to sip her wine and eat.
"I kind of have no choice since I already told him about Toni." I knew if I didn't let Tony see Toni since he knew about her he was going to make it a point to get to know her. I will always be skeptical I think because I know a part of me will have to get used to sharing Toni and I am not used to that.
"Well, I think that him being in Toni's life is going to be a good thing. I think that it would be great if she would have another parent. Don't get me wrong you do a great job with her but can you imagine being able to do things without having to find a babysitter." Trina was right this may be a blessing and not a curse.
"We will see how tomorrow goes. We are going to Toni's favorite restaurant in the parkade. Hopefully, that will ease her into the situation a little." I took the last sip of the wine in my glass. I noticed that Trina picked up her phone.
"It's getting late. Let's put these kids to bed." Trina finished the rest of the wine in her glass and I grabbed my glass and the two bottles while Trina got up and grabbed her glass and the serving plate. We walked into the kitchen and Trina put the food away while I trashed the garbage and did the dishes. When we finished we headed into the playroom to get the kids. When we entered the playroom the kids were watching some movie.
"Okay guys it's time for bed," I said walking over and picking a sleepy-looking Toni up.
"Okay," Jason said, got up, and walked out with Trina, Toni, and me.
"Okay, as usual, Toni will sleep with me and you two can take her room." Toni had her bed and a full-size bed in her room from when she went through this phase where she had nightmares almost every night so I put a full-size bed in her room so that she was in her room and I could always leave her in the bed once she went back to sleep without having to pick her up and bring her back in her room. The extra bed came in handy when Trina and I had nights like this and also when I wanted to keep Jason overnight he stayed in the bed. I had a third bedroom but because I turned the office into Toni's playroom I turned the third bedroom into my office. We headed upstairs and I stopped in front of my door because it was the first door leading to the bedrooms.
"Okay, goodnight," Trina said
"Goodnight aunty," Jason said
"Goodnight hun" Trina and I kissed each other on the cheek and they headed down the hall to Toni's bedroom.