This is Living (Living #1.5) by Melody Dawn Read Free Book Online

Braxton race to me screaming “Nanna!” while bowling me over with hugs. Chloe walks in behind them looking like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her eyes are bloodshot and puffy and she isn’t smiling…not like she usually is. Hmm, this may be worse than what I thought.
    “Chloe, I’m going to set the boys up in front of the TV and then we can talk.” I gesture towards the chocolate. “Dig in…I’ll be right back.”
    “Let’s go boys, you can watch a movie.”
    They cheer and take off towards the living room. I follow behind quickly and after a few disagreements on what to watch, I set them up with the movie, “Cars” from the hundreds of Disney movies we’ve bought for the grandkids to watch. My home is open concept so we will be able to see them while we have our heart-to-heart.
    Setting them down on the rug in front of the TV, I get a movie going and say, “All right, my babies, Nanna is going to be in the kitchen with your Mama. Stay here and watch the movie.” By the end of my sentence, they are in the movie zone and don’t hear what I’m saying. Or if they do, they don’t reply.
    When I get back to the kitchen, Chloe has all three of the chocolate items set up in front of her at the kitchen table.
    “You are going to have to work out for a solid week if you eat all of that.”
    She grins at me and I’m so glad to see it. I don’t have much time so it’s good I have her smiling already. “Do you want something to drink?”
    “Water is good. I don’t think I should drink a Coke while eating all of this junk.”
    I set the water down in front of her and take a seat. “So, tell me what is going on with you two.” I see fear and pain cross her face. It makes me want to take her in my arms and hug her.
    I have two very different relationships with my daughters-in-law. Neither is better than the other, but the differences are huge. With Madison, we joke and laugh…we sort of get each other because I see a lot of myself in her, while she thinks I’m crazy and funny. With Chloe, I’m more of a mother figure because that is what she needs from me, although we still laugh a lot together. So, that is how I’m going to approach this…like a mom would…painful advice and all.
    She explains about the past two nights of Jayson working with no contact and then not coming home when he said he would. Next, she details her interaction with Melissa, who I haven’t forgotten about, and then she and Jayson’s conversation in the on-call room. I can tell she feels badly about the way it all went down because she is studying her chocolate ice cream like it’s the cure for the common cold.
    “Chloe, look at me. Things are not as bad as you think they are. Just as I told Jayson…”
    “Wait, you talked to him?”
    She looks at me in confusion and I answer, “Yes, just a few minutes ago. He is on his way here.”
    “Shit. Are you serious? I didn’t want him to know I talked to you about this.”
    “Well, he not only knows, but he probably has also talked to his father who better be setting his behind straight. And since you already talked to Madison this morning, I’m assuming they will be next on the list.”
    “How did you know I talked to Madison?” She rolls her eyes and says, “Never mind. I need to know how to fix this.”
    “Madison’s advice is to be naked and screw him several times. Something it seems she employs when she and Connor disagree.”
    “Yuck, Ava…yuck! I don’t want to know about Connor; believe me I hear enough from Madison. Do you know how hard it is to look at him when she tells me that stuff?”
    Chloe bites her lip as she says this to me and I know she’s trying not to grin. I have her number though.
     “Ok, enough about Connor and Madison’s debauchery; let’s talk about why you think Jayson would even consider the option of cheating on you. I’m still not sure how a double shift translates to you thinking he was with another woman.”
    I can