Kent held up his hands in surrender. "All right, Charisma... all right. I believe you. Do you think he's okay?"
"He seems to be." She cleared her throat. "You should also know that he and Brianna seem to be bonding... more than before, I mean," seeing him smirk. "He went right to her when he got up last night to tell us about Es. And she called him 'Son'."
"Good," Kent replied emphatically. "So he'll have three parents that love him... maybe four."
"Kent?"
"Look, I was going to give these to you the next time I saw you - I didn't think it was going to be before another funeral. I thought about saving them, but after what you said, I think you're probably ready for them," placing a stack of legal papers on the table between them. Charisma glanced at them and then back at Kent before reaching for them, absently noting that she wasn't particularly surprised to be holding a decree of divorce in her hands.
"I thought you were going to wait for me to decide...." trailing off when he cut in.
"I was. But I've seen you and Brianna together, and you just assuaged my last real concern - Adam obviously idolizes her and she's already been so good for you. I don't want you to miss an opportunity because we're still legally together."
"Is there someone new in your life, Kent?"
"Maybe," he replied honestly. "But we've done nothing more than share a cup of coffee once or twice. I won't embarrass you, Charisma - I promised that. But I would not be averse to pursuing something more once I am unattached."
"I appreciate your candor," Charisma said, rising from her spot and moving to her desk. She flipped through the paperwork, glad she understood legalese. "Are you sure about this, Kent? That's a very generous settlement for Adam. I don't need...."
"I know, but he's my son and I want to do my part in supporting him. Start another college fund for him - who knows... maybe he'll find someone to travel the world with after school and he'll be able to travel in style."
Charisma snorted, but couldn't stop the tears that welled in her eyes. "Only if he's really lucky," she murmured. "Are you sure every other weekend is enough?"
"I thought we could be flexible - if I can spend more time and you're willing to let me have it...."
"He's your son too, Kent - whenever you want to spend time with him is a good thing... as long as it doesn't interfere with his school schedule."
"Of course. And if you need someone to look after him when it's not my turn to have him, you only have to ask. I'll be on the next flight down. I would like him for at least one whole month in the summer."
Charisma nodded. "How would you feel about taking him for the whole summer this year... or at least most of it?" signing her name to the documents with a flourish.
"Are you campaigning?" rising to take his copy of the papers and tucking them back into his pocket.
"I don't think so," Charisma said, shaking her head slowly. "Laura is more than a little put out with me about this whole business, and she was furious that I refused to remove Brianna from my life."
"Okaaaay," Kent drawled in obvious confusion. "So why...?"
Charisma sighed. "Twenty years ago, Brianna and I made our epic trip to Europe - it was the last time we spent together until she came to Washington last summer." Kent nodded and waited for her to continue. "On that trip, we agreed to do it again in twenty years... unless I was already the President. I was so far in denial about her having walked out of my life for good then, I even had Mama arrange things. We haven't really talked about it yet, but if she's willing...."
Kent smiled. "Good for you, Charisma. Consider Adam taken care of for the summer."
"She hasn't said yes, yet."
"Maybe," Kent shrugged. "But she hasn't said no either. Have a little faith."
"I still don't get why you're being so cool about all of this."
"Because I want you to be happy, and Brianna does that for you just being in the same room. And I'd like to find that for myself."
"Keep reminding me," Charisma said as they exited the study and she pulled the door shut behind them. "One day it might sink in."
Kent snorted. "We'll all be in the nursing home by then," ducking her swat with a laugh, "but I'll do my part. Make sure you pay attention, okay?" Charisma just gave him a dirty look, and his laughter preceded them into the kitchen. Adam looked up from the matching game he'd been playing with Brianna.
"PA!" standing on his chair and jumping into Kent's arms. Kent caught him and swung him around, making his giggles echo throughout the kitchen.
"Hey, Boy!" Kent exclaimed when they stopped spinning.
"Pa, we go see 'saurs?"
Kent looked at Charisma, who just shrugged and nodded. He looked back at his son with a grin. "I think that sounds like a fine idea, Son." He set Adam down on the floor, keeping a hand on his shoulder so Adam wouldn't run off. "Why don't you tell Mama and Brianna goodbye, and then you and me'll go see some dinosaurs - ROAR!"
Adam laughed again. "Funny Daddy," he snickered, but turned dutifully to the two women in the room. He ran to Charisma first, wrapping his arms around her legs and waiting for her to pick him up with a groan.
"You're getting so big, Son. You're going to have to start picking Mama up instead." He laughed and threw his arms around her neck, leaning forward to plant a big kiss on her cheek.
"Love Mama," he exclaimed. Charisma grinned.
"I love you too, Adam. Be a good boy for your daddy, all right?"
"'Kay!" came his emphatic agreement. Charisma set him on his feet and he ran and crawled into Brianna's lap just as she set the memory cards aside. He put his hands on either side of her face and leaned forward until their noses brushed together. "Love Br'anna."
She hugged him tightly. "Love you too, Little Man. Have a good time with your daddy."
"Yes!" he agreed, before scrambling off her lap and running to Kent to take his hand. "We go see 'saurs now?"
"We go see 'saurs now," Kent said. "Bye ladies," he offered with a wave, then turned and walked out of the kitchen with Adam in tow. Then Charisma turned to Brianna.
"C'mon," she said, extending her hand and pulling Brianna from her seat at the table. "I want to talk to you before the family gets here. Or before Amber or Mr. Prescott call back."
"Sounds serious," Brianna replied.
"It is... a little. But only because it's about us and our future. It's nothing bad, I promise. But if we're going to do this, we have to communicate - we have to be able to talk about everything."
"That sounds eerily familiar," Brianna said with a small smile.
"It should. Now c'mon. It's a beautiful day - will you walk with me?"
"Anytime, anywhere," Brianna answered without hesitation. Charisma just beamed as she led her out the door into the backyard gardens.
Chapter CXI
"So Kent and I just signed our divorce decree," Charisma volunteered without preamble when they were some distance from the house. "He did it for himself as well as us. He indicated there might be someone new in his future soon as well."
"Are you okay with it?"
Charisma squeezed the hand she held and gave Brianna a blinding grin. "I'm more than okay with it. Now he can look for the happiness he so richly deserves. And we can move forward and start making plans for us." She was met with silence and a furrowed brow. "I mean... if you want to," Charisma hastened on. "Brianna, you've been very subdued about everything since offering me another chance - letting me make all the decisions for us. I don't want to do that. I want *us* to make decisions... together. This is *our* life... not just mine."