A little over two weeks had gone by since Adam revealed his secret to Lita. It was pretty awkward between the two due to all that was said and done a couple of weeks ago. They didn't talk to one another the past two weeks other than when it concerned Ethan just like the redhead demanded. They actually used to have conversation before when either of them dropped off or picked up Ethan, but now the other left immediately when they dropped off or picked up Ethan. Dawn told Lita that she should stop being stubborn and have an actual conversation with Adam and figure out where they stand even if it was just co-parenting Ethan. While Christian told the taller blonde that he should be patient and wait for the redhead to talk to him because he knew it was only a matter of time before she did that.
Lita was currently talking to Dawn on the phone while she was getting ready so she could leave and go to an imaging center so she could get at CT scan done which was needed after her surgery to make sure the tumor didn't come back and was fully gone.
"No Dawn," Lita said into the phone as she was getting ready for her appointment, "I don't need you to take me. I just have to take two buses and I'll be there. And it's not that bad because the second bus stop is actually right across the street from the center, I'll be fine."
"It's okay if you need me to take you and go with you. You know Maria can handle the kids herself for as long as it's needed," she said referring to the other woman who worked with her. "Half of them are at school right now anyways."
Lita shook her head. "No. I told you it's not needed."
"I know someone who would be more than willing to take you."
Lita scowled. "Don't start with that."
"I'm just saying that-"
"Well don't."
"Touchy touchy."
"Shut up. I don't want to talk about that. You know I still blame you, him, and Christian for Ethan's mood the past few days. He's just starting to be like himself again. I knew living with Adam for those few weeks was a horrible idea and Ethan's really affected by it." She took a brief moment of pause before she continued. "I know kids are effected by their parents being separated or whatever, trust me, I know."
"But you were ten when that happened," Dawn interrupted, "and Ethan's only almost five. And your dad left and never came back. You actually had your dad and then he left without coming around ever again. Ethan's situation is different since he's only starting to get to know his dad and he wants more because he never got to have the two of you together until those few weeks which made him want you two together even more. I mean, both aren't ideal situations but Adam's not like your dad, he's actually going to stay around."
Lita nodded. "I know. I guess I didn't realize how much this actually effects him. Like I knew it was going to I just didn't know to what extent. Well actually, I did but I guess I just didn't want to think it was going to happen."
"It doesn't help that he walked in on you and Adam fighting. Or well you screaming at Adam, but you know what I mean."
Lita sighed in frustration. "I'm aware of that. If you're done here, I think you should get back to the kids and I need to hurry up because I'm already late and will miss my appointment and I just need to leave as soon as I can."
"Aright. Talk to you later."
"Bye." Lita hung up the phone and continued getting her things as well as herself together. She was just picking up some things from the table in the living room that she was looking at the night before as well as that morning, but was stopped in the middle of her task when she heard a knock on the door. She placed the items in her hand back on the table before she walked towards the door and opened it to reveal the person on the other side of the door: Adam.
"Hi," Adam said as he stood in the doorway.
"Um hi," Lita replied. "You know Ethan isn't here, he's at school."
He nodded. "I know. I remembered you had an appointment to get your scan done so I'm just here to take you."
"That's not needed. I'm going on the bus."
"You're appointment is in thirty minutes. I think I'll get you there faster than a bus can." She said nothing. "Don't worry, we won't talk. I'll just take you to your appointment, wait with you in the waiting area, and then bring you back here. It old you I would help you through this and getting a CT scan to make sure the tumor left is a way for me to help you."
"It's just a scan, it's nothing big. I'm pretty sure I can handle that myself. It's not like I'm going to find out if the tumor is back today."
"Big or little, I told you I was going to help you with this."
"Fine," Lita reluctantly agreed. She thought he did make a good point because she was already going to be late if she took the bus and it would be faster and easier if she did just go with him. "I just need another few minutes. You can come inside," she said moving away from the doorway so he could enter the apartment. She closed the door behind her and disappeared inside one of the rooms with Adam taking a seat on the couch in the living room while he waited for her so they could head to her appointment.
He saw a bunch of papers scattered all around the table in the living room as well as her checkbook and calculator. He wasn't trying to look at what was on the papers because it wasn't any of his business and they looked to be important, but he saw a bunch of bills with some saying second notice on them. One of them even said final notice on it. He tried to turn his attention elsewhere but it was kind of hard since he couldn't stop thinking about the multiple second notice bills on the table.
That's when the phone rang and he noticed the water running in the bathroom so he put two and two together and thought Lita was in there. He wasn't about to answer her phone so the answering machine got it and the caller left a message.
"This is a message for Lita Dumas. If you are not Lita Dumas please hang up and delete this message now. By continuing to listen to this message you acknowledge you are Lita Dumas. You should not play this message if other people can hear it, as it contains personal information. There will be a three second pause to allow you to play this message in private." After that last statement, Adam felt like he should get up and leave for a moment because it was a private message and he didn't want to overhear it. But three seconds wasn't enough because he did end up hearing the rest of it. "This is Accounts Receivable Management, a debt collection agency. This is an attempt to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Please contact me at 866-284-9834."
Adam didn't have time to think about what he just heard on the machine when Lita came into the living room. Apparently she didn't hear any of the message since she was still in the bathroom when it was playing.
"Okay," Lita began to say when she entered the living room once again. "We can go now." She walked over to the table and saw the bills on the table but thought to just pick them up later.
He looked up at her but said nothing. He didn't think it was his place to tell her anything about what he just heard. It was a message on her house phone so she would obviously listen to it herself. It was better to pretend he didn't hear anything.
"Alright. Let's go," Adam replied as he got up from the couch with the duo leaving her apartment so they could go to her car and to the imaging center.
Adam was driving Lita back to her apartment a couple of hours later after her appointment. She didn't have work that day but still had some stuff to do around the house so they agreed that Adam would pick up Ethan from Dawn's at the normal time of five and drop him off afterwards. It was quiet the whole time between the two with Adam staying true to his words when he said they wouldn't talk and he would just pick her up, stay with her in the waiting area, and drop her off. But all of that was about to change because the blonde couldn't help but think about what he saw and heard at the redhead's house earlier.
"Thanks," Lita began to say when Adam pulled over in front of the building she lived in. "Bye." She unbuckle her seat belt and was about to open the door and get out, until Adam stopped her.
"Wait." She turned around to face him and gave him a questionable look which he took as a gesture to continue. "I want to talk to you about something and I know you're most likely going to be upset but I don't really care anymore because it's been bugging me that past couple of hours and I just can't hold it in any longer."
"If you know it's going to upset me, then I don't want to hear it, "she interrupted his rant. "I already told you that if it's not about Ethan, then I don't want to hear it. Is this about Ethan or can I go now?"
"It is about him... sort of."
She sighed. "Okay. What is it?"
He was looking for the right words but he couldn't find it and blurted it out the wrong way. "Are you having financial trouble?" That's not how he wanted to start the conversation.
She looked at him in shock and confusion. "What? Why are you asking me that?"
"I saw the bills with second notice written all over them on your table. I saw-"
"I knew I should have picked up my stuff," she muttered under her breath. "That is none of your concern," she interrupted him with a glare present on her face. "You can't just come into my house and look at my personal things."
"I wasn't trying to look at them," he replied. "I just came across it by accident and they were on the table so it's not like I was looking for it. And then you received a phone call when you were inside getting ready."
"And you picked up?" She asked with an accusatory look and tone.
He fought the urge to roll his eyes. "No. But I heard the message. Why is a debt collection agency calling you?"
She was speechless and didn't say anything for a moment. "I fail to see how any of this is any of your concern. I also fail to see how this deals with Ethan. I told you not to talk to me if it doesn't concern him and you said this does and it doesn't so we're done here." She was about to leave once again but he spoke up.
"Actually, it does concern Ethan. He lives primarily with you and if you're having financial problem then it effects him."
"Again, none of your business."
"If you need help-"
She shook her head. "Don't complete that statement. I'll sell my mom's house in Atlanta before I accept any financial help from you," she said referring to the house her mom left her when she died. Since she didn't live in Atlanta and didn't want to move there, Lita decided to give it on rent. "We are two separate people, living in two separate places, living two separate lives. Ethan is the only thing we have in common. As two separate people living separate lives, they don't get mixed financially."
"Well, as seeing Ethan lives mainly with you and you need help which helps him out as a result-"
"No," she interrupted him once again. "I only need your help when it actually effects Ethan. Like daycare or other things for him. Keeping a roof over his head and other things are my responsibility when he stays with me. So no, I don't need your help. I can manage. It's just a little setback. I haven't been able to work properly in like two months. Of course the bills were going to pile on and the hospital bills are starting to pile up too. So it's nothing I wasn't prepared for."
"Then why is a debt collection agency calling you? That must be a couple of months old problem if a debt collector is calling you."
"Don't worry about it. It's my problem, not yours. Don't be so nosy next time."
Adam rolled his eyes. "I would hardly call it nosy when the answering machine goes off and I hear it."
"Well, no one told you to look at the papers on the table. The papers have my name on it which means it's my business- my personal business- not yours. I'm handling it. I'm not being kicked out of my apartment. I'm paying all my important bills. Everything else will be taken care of. It's nothing I haven't dealt with before." She didn't give him a chance to question her about what she just said. "Thanks for the ride. Bye." With that said, she left and Adam drove off.
He didn't know why he even brought up the subject to Lita because he knew it was personal and she would act the way she did. He knew she wasn't going to accept his help because she liked being independent and she did reluctantly accept his help the last time. But he just couldn't help it and had to ask her about it. He just hoped she would be able to handle it like she said.
Thanks for reading. Thanks for the reviews. Hope you liked the chapter.
Well, Spring Break is basically officially over. That makes me sad... :/ I do only have classes on Thursdays so it's not a big deal but it still sucks. I hate this semester so much.