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“Oh, like you’re some fucking saint,” I say bitterly. “Like you’ve never made any mistakes with him. Well, you’re just the perfect parent, aren’t you? I bet it’s really easy when you don’t even have to deal with them for eight hours out of your day!”
“I am here for him, forbothof them! Don’t you try and make me out to be an absent father when you know damn well I’m not! I am here! Every day! And when it was just Martin and me, I was there for him every single day—”
“You weren’t here today!” I shrieked. I could feel the tears start to come now. “Do you even understand what it feels like to hold this entire house on your back because you want to support the person you love? I have to do the cleaning and cook the breakfast and get Martin from school and the groceries and whatever else you think I have time for and, AND I had a meeting today with my job because I don’t want to be stuck the rest of my life as the damned background to your foreground!”
He’s standing there. Stunned. I’m in tears.
“I. Was. Tired.” I say this in measured tones. “Do you understand? I was tired. And if you want to take Martin and leave me because of that…then so be it. Leave. Get out. Just leave us here…” I say the last part in a fit of sobbing. Jack moves to me and sweeps me into his arms.
“I’m sorry,” he says as I sweep into his chest. “I’m so sorry, baby. I love you, okay? I’m not going to leave you.”
He holds me in his arms and rocks me until the sobs subside. Then he takes me to the couch and we sit down together.
“I’m sorry I was so hard on you,” he says. “I was out of line. I guess…I guess I just forgot how hard all this can be when you’re dealing alone.”
He kisses my hands and says, “You’re going to have some help while I’m working on this merger.”
I look at him strangely. “What?” My voice sounds cracked and raw from all the screaming and crying.
“Just while I have to do these late nights. I can hire someone or maybe Jennie or Stacy can come by, whichever you’re comfortable with. We’ll do that for a few weeks. After that, I’ll pull more of my weight around here.”
I study his face for any kind of deception. He’s being for real. I really reached him.
“Okay,” I say with a little laugh.
I lean into him and he wraps his arms around me again. “Maggie always says that we’re a team,” he says to me softly. “And we are. I’m not going to forget again.”
Chapter Twelve
SARA
It’sMartin’sbirthday.He’ssix years old now, and I’m so happy that I get to share this milestone with our family and friends.
“Now make a wish and blow your candles out,” Jack says.
I watch with pride as Martin blows out all six candles.
“Can I open my presents now, Mom?” he asks me, and I laugh.
“I think we better feed our guests some cake before we start opening the presents. You want to help me with that?”
“Sure!” he says merrily.
I glance around the pizza place, lit with video game lights. “Let’s count how many slices of cake we need. Martin, Daddy, Mommy, Ava, Harris, Jennie, Stacy, Miller, Kenzie, Tyler, Mike, and Maggie. How many is that?”
“Uh,” he counts with his fingers. “Eleven!”
“That’s right! Very good.” I smile. “Can you count out eleven plates and forks for me, please?”
“Yep, I can do that.” His big brown eyes sparkle as he separates the plates and spreads them onto the table.
I don’t know if I can love this little boy any more than I already do, but somehow I can. I wonder where his biological mother is and how she’s doing. Jack rarely speaks of her—usually, only when he sees something familiar in Martin. To be honest, I haven’t thought about her much, either. Just today, really. It is his birthday, after all.
Carefully, I cut the pieces of cake and set them on each plate and I give Martin the end piece with the most frosting, per his request. He goes around the table like a little helper, handing out the plates to our guests.
“Here you go, Ava,” he says as he sets the smallest piece on Ava’s high chair. Ava squeals with delight, picks the cake up with her bare hands, and smashes it into her mouth. She’s the spitting image of me now. Big crystal blue eyes and rosy cheeks. Her long black hair has gotten curly, though. Must be her father’s genes.
Jack comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. “You did an amazing job with this party. It’s everything he ever wanted.”
