AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What? Why?”
“Oh, he has his reasons. The kids’ school. Said the traveling is hard on them.” My eyes burned, but I held the tears at bay. What if Henry was right?
“It’s an hour,” Holden scoffed. “It’s not like you moved across the country.”
I let out a gusty breath. “I said we could go back to mediation if he wanted more time with the kids. I’d be happy to. Yeah, it’d be more complicated, but it’s the best thing for the kids.”
“And?”
“He wants the kids back in private school.” I’d seen the signs when I met Henry. He’d wanted to achieve a certain status and he’d wanted the status symbols to go with them. The wife and kids. The house. The kids in the same private school and expensive activity clubs as his coworkers. Only I had thought there’d be more sincerity than concern over his image.
“What’s wrong with Coal Haven?”
I rolled my eyes because the answer was so Henry. “It’s not the same school all his friends’ and mentors’ kids go to.” I rubbed my fingers beside my eyes. “And if he doesn’t agree to mediation, then we’ll have to litigate and I…can’t afford that. And he knows it. You know we didn’t get married until we were done with undergrad? His parents paid for his bachelor’s degree, but not medical school. I took out loans for nursing, and I’m responsible for those. But since his med school came after we got married, I get to pay for half of those too. Even though I had to use my degree to support us while he continued school.” And I probably wasn’t going to find any better representation than I had before. I’d get screwed again. Tears welled up and spilled over. What if Henry tried to push me out of their lives?
“I don’t get it. How can he do that to them and to you? I get that his ego’s bruised because you’re standing up for yourself and I’m around and the kids like me.” He shook his head. “Doesn’t he understand that I’m not replacing him and I’m not trying to?”
“He needs to be number one. His parents gush over their dog. They’ve been that way his entire life. Always their pet over him. But you’re a real person, and that’s worse. When they gush about you, I’m sure it’s the same feeling for him.” I let out a bitter huff. “It’s why he was drawn to a young, single woman who could dedicate her time to him.”
“Jesus, Em, I’m sorry. What can I do to help?”
I couldn’t fight my tears. “Do you know that I was just thinking about how awesome this move has been? How it was exactly what the kids and I needed? They’re making friends. I’m making friends. I like my job, and it doesn’t run me into the ground. I met you. Things couldn’t have been better.”
He rubbed my back. “It’ll be all right. You’re their mom.”
I wanted to believe Holden. To hang on his words and lean into his comfort. But the phone conversation pinballed in my head. Henry’s anger that Avery had contacted me. His defensive tone, one I recognized well from when I’d confronted him about the affair. The tone he used to explain how I was at fault and that was why he did what he did.
I wasn’t the young, compliant girl he’d met in college who was excited to start her career in nursing and support her husband through medical school and through his residency and into the early years of his career. I had been a mom to young kids. I hadn’t had time to gush over him and fawn over his lab coat, impressed that he was a surgeon. I’d been proud of him, but I’d been drowning in the obligations of my life.
And now, I wasn’t the overtired, overstressed, haggard mom I’d been when we divorced, and that upset him. He claimed I had moved without consulting him and I changed the lifestyle of the kids while he had to keep paying the same amount of child support. He wasn’t wrong. It was enough to revisit our agreement in the court’s eyes.
I lifted my head from Holden’s shoulder. I was in his room and his family was right outside the door. How much had they heard? Mom was probably worried and trying to cover it.
I wiped off my wet cheeks, wishing I could scrub the embarrassment away. “I don’t think I can go out there and pretend nothing’s wrong. I just want to go home.”
There was a little tap at the door. Mom peered inside. She must’ve heard the pause in our conversation.
What a way to introduce myself to the rest of the family.
Mom’s smile was gentle. “Henry’s causing problems?”
I nodded and fought back another onslaught of tears.
Holden gave my shoulder one last squeeze before he rose and held his hand out for me. “If you need to leave, don’t worry about it. I’ll bring over some desserts later.”
“Thank you.” I rose with the help of his strong grip, leaning into his strength, soaking up as much as I could.
Holden was grounded in a way that Henry hadn’t been when I met him. I was older and knew better now. If I had met someone like Holden instead, I wouldn’t be in the position I was in now.
I straightened my clothing. I was dreading walking out and getting the stare. It would be a hundred times more uncomfortable than the small-town stare I still got when I went to new-to-me businesses in town. Everyone outside this room knew I’d taken a call from my ex and had heard me crying.
But I straightened my shoulders and strode out. Kira watched me like a hawk ready to swoop in for an easy meal. I didn’t have time for her bullshit too. In another life, maybe. Willow’s kind expression drew me to her, but I kept my gaze from lingering on anyone.
I put on a small, apologetic smile. “It was nice to meet you all, but I have to get going.”
Nora slid off the barstool at the island and crossed to me with her arms out. “So glad you could make it. And sorry about whatever’s going on.”
I squeezed her back. Isla was next in line. She gave me a hug. “Did you bring anything? I can grab it for you.”
