Page 71 of Letters to Molly (Maysen Jar 2)

I hadn’t let myself think of the other man in years. Each time I did I felt sick. The night she’d told me about it, I’d puked for an hour when she’d finally left me alone. But that was years ago. It wasn’t supposed to still shock me this much. It wasn’t supposed to still hurt.

I splashed some cold water on my face in the bathroom, waiting a few minutes until the ache in my chest went away. I stared at my face in the mirror and remembered what this fling was about.

Sex.

I was having sex with Molly. We didn’t need to dig up everything from the past. I didn’t need to think about the past.

When it was all blocked off, secured away in the dark corner of my mind that I refused to visit, I ran warm water on a washcloth for Molly. Then I went back into the bedroom and handed it over to my wife.

Ex-wife.

“No.”

Molly’s gasp woke me up.

“Mom?”

Kali’s voice sent me flying out of the bed.

“Ew.”

Max’s groan sent me back into the bed when I remembered I was buck-ass naked.

Fuck. The sunrise cast a faint glow on the window’s shades and I glanced at the clock. Five in the morning. It was too early for the kids to be awake during summer break. Fifteen more minutes and my alarm would be blaring. I’d have been dressed and halfway out the door.

“What are you guys doing up?” Molly asked, holding the sheets to cover herself. Her hair was everywhere, her cheeks crimson red.

“I don’t feel good.” Max held his stomach as he came to the bed, not caring that his parents were in it together. Naked.

“He threw up,” Kali said. “I heard him in the bathroom.”

“You’re sick? Oh, no.” Molly stretched for the throw blanket she kept at the foot of the bed. She yanked it up, replacing it as a cover for her chest as she slid out of bed. Then she wrapped it around herself like she did with her towel after showering.

I took the sheet with me as I stood, winding it around my hips and holding it up with a hand.

Molly rushed to Max, her hands going right for his forehead and cheeks. “You’re hot.”

He leaned his face into her palms. “Can I still go to camp today?”

“Sorry, honey. I don’t think so. Not if you’re sick.”

“Ah.” His face crumpled, his eyes welling with tears. “I really want to go.”

“I know.” She pulled him into her arms as he collapsed against her chest. “Let’s rest today and hopefully you’ll feel up for it tomorrow.”

He sniffled and nodded, his eyes drifting shut.

I walked over and knelt down, ruffling Max’s hair. “Want to come and hang out with me today? You can rest on the couch in my office and watch the iPad.”

Molly looked up. “I can stay home. Poppy can cover the restaurant today.”

“It’s up to you. If it’s easier for me to take him along, I can.”

She stroked Max’s hair. In just moments, he was practically asleep on her shoulder. “I’ll stay home with him.”

“Okay. Then I’ll take Kali to camp and pick her up tonight.”

Kali stood back from the three of us. Her eyes were full of confusion as they darted between me and Molly.