Days earlier, I had seen Caleb again.
That encounter had stirred emotions I thought I had buried. My feelings had been tangled ever since, shifting between memories, regrets, and questions I had never fully answered.
Now everything felt even more complicated.
It felt like I had just cheated on him with Cole.
But did I?Caleb had moved on with his life.Why shouldn’t I?
Questions spun relentlessly in my mind.What would Cole think when he woke up?Would he regret what happened between us?Would he feel embarrassed?Would he look at me differently now?And what would happen to our friendship?
The thought of losing that frightened me… because somewhere beneath the guilt and confusion, there was a truth.
Being in his arms had felt… right.
Sunlight streamedthrough the kitchen windows as I sat at the dining table sipping my tea.I stared out the window, lost in thought, when I heard the soft pitter-patter of little feet coming down the stairs.
“Mama, you’re back!”
Lucas rushed toward me and wrapped his arms around my waist.“We missed you last night,” he said, squeezing me tightly. “Did you have a good time with Cole?”
I swallowed hard and forced a smile.“Yes, I did.”But my stomach churned.
I hugged both children tightly before moving toward the kitchen counter.
I helped Geeta make breakfast for all of us, cracking eggs into the pan and buttering toast with careful attention.
Anything to keep my hands busy.
Anything to distract myself.
After breakfast, I took a nap.The little sleep I had managed the night before had not been nearly enough. Eventually, the exhaustion caught up with me, and I curled up beneath the duvet.At some point, I drifted into a deeper sleep.
Suddenly, I felt hands gently trying to wake me up.
“Didi…Didi…”
The voice floated into my dreams first before I slowly opened my eyes.
Geeta stood over me, leaning slightly toward the bed with a concerned expression on her face. The sunlight filtering through the curtains made me squint as I tried to gather my bearings.
“Didi, the children are getting late.”
Her words took a moment to sink in.
Rubbing my eyes, I pushed myself up slightly and tried to focus on what she was saying.
“You were supposed to take them to the kids’ club at the park today, remember?”
“Oh my gosh! I slept past the alarm!”I sat up quickly, the duvet sliding off my shoulders as I scrambled to get out of bed. My mind filled with images of Lucas and Emma waiting by the door with their little bags, ready for the morning outing I had promised them.“I’m so sorry,” I muttered under my breath, already pushing the covers aside.
Geeta gently placed her hand on my shoulder.“I’ll take them. Don’t worry,” she said. “You sleep for a bit.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, glancing toward the doorway, guilt tugging at my chest.
Geeta nodded immediately.
Her calm smile made it clear she had everything under control.
