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“To understand my relationship with Ameline, I need to tell you how we met,” I say. I detail everything—from the moment Cedric first brought Ameline to our apartment to the minute she walked out my door. When I get to the pregnancy and miscarriage, Mom is crying, Dad holding her hand silently.
“You should have told us,” Mom says, sniffling.
“He couldn’t,” Jude states. “You guys can be great parents but also very judgmental. Gabe tries so damn hard to never mess up. When he does, we cover his tracks so you never find out.”
“We’re not that harsh—” Dad starts, but Jude cuts him off.
“Oh, you are, Dad,” Jude interrupts him. “Somehow, you want to show your brother and sister that Gabe and I are better than their children. Personally, I don’t give a shit when I fuck up, but Gabe does. He’s the sensitive one.”
Mom, still visibly shaken, struggles to find her words. “If I had only known . . . She was so alone when she lost the baby. And you . . . I could’ve been there for both of you.” Her voice cracks. “When I had my loss, at least I had your aunt to lean on.”
Dad squeezes her hand as fresh tears spill down her cheeks. Jude and I exchange a look—they lost a baby? I want to know more but this isn’t the time.
“Ame’s back. Not for me but for her sister, niece, and nephew,” I state. “This is my only chance to get my wife back. But it’s complicated when she thinks my whole family hates her.”
Mom huffs, then pulls me into a tight hug. “We love Ameline, and I’m so sorry we didn’t handle things well. I’m also sorry for everything you went through alone. You should have come to us.”
“We love you, and you don’t need to be perfect,” Dad adds, hugging me too. “So Ameline’s back now, and you got to grovel hard, yeah?”
I nod but tell them about Izzy, Cora, and Caleb. Mom offers to make a schedule so the kids always have support from my parents and siblings. She also suggests I call my grandfather who’ll have several recommendations for therapists that can help Cora.
“Maybe you should go to therapy too,” she suggests.
I want to remind her that I have a counselor who I see at least every month. But I don’t because I only talk about my patients, never about my private life.
There’s clearly something wrong with me if I can’t even acknowledge that I’m a person outside my practice.
I better figure this out fast before I lose Ame again, but am I capable of that?
Chapter Seventeen
Gabe: Hey, Lyric and Indie agreed to take care of Cora tonight.
Ameline: I know.
Gabe: How?
Ameline: They arrived here like thirty minutes ago with stuff for a slumber party and even a few toys for Cora. They’re currently baking cookies so they can make ice cream sandwiches tomorrow. They have an entire plan.
Gabe: I love my sisters. I’m impressed that they’re doing all that for Cora.
Ameline: Yep, apparently Piper gave them a heads-up about the conditions of Izzy’s apartment. There weren’t even any toys or children’s books. What is wrong with my sister?
Gabe: She probably didn’t have money for either.
Ameline: You know, I have clients who don’t have enough money to do much, but they don’t neglect their children the way my sister did. Cora doesn’t have a favorite story. My sister has never read to her.
Gabe: So you work for a non-profit?
Ameline: Is that all you got from what I said?
Gabe: You can’t blame me for trying to get to know my wife.
Ameline: You could simplify this process by signing the divorce papers.
Gabe: That’ll be too much of a hassle when at the end we’ll be together again, baby.
Ameline: You’re being too cocky and delusional, Decker.
