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The boys shrugged, neither too keen on their options, but I still caught the grateful smile Leon sent my way. Losing hurt his ego because he was older and presumably a better gamer than his brother, so the pancakes were a consolation.
“Come on. Let's go.”
We made our way to the state-of-the-art kitchen. I directed the boys, and they brought out the ingredients, placing them on the counter. When I went for the frying pan, I paused, recalling the night I probably proved to Shawn I had issues. Hopefully, he’d forget all about it. But I doubt I would. I snatched the pan, placed it on a burner, and then started mixing the batter. The boys leaned in eagerly, excited to hand me anything I asked for. They probably didn't usually see the process of how their meals were made but had enough enthusiasm to make up for their inexperience.
Once we ate breakfast, we did some puzzles and played indoor basketball in Leon's room. We snacked in the late afternoon, played some more, and heated the leftovers from the previous night for a quick dinner. I expected the boys to be as exhausted as I was, but they trailed me, asking what we could do next. Frankly, I didn't have much energy to play another game, so I said, "What if we watch a movie?”
While I selected the movie, the boys cleaned up and joined me on the couch when they were done. Leon sat to my right and Brady to my left with a blanket thrown over us.
Halfway into the movie, Leon leaned over and eyed his brother’s sleeping face. “Ha, what a baby.”
Before long, he was yawning too and then snoring lightly against my arm. I’d seen the movie before, so I woke the kids up and helped them up to their rooms. Once they were safely tucked in, I came downstairs, ensured all the doors were locked, and turned off the lights before heading back up to my room.
Sleep didn't come easy. All I could think of were the two boys across the hallway. I was responsible for them. Many what-ifs played over and over in my head until I fell into a troubled sleep.
We all woke up bright and bubbly the next morning. Well, the boys did. My overthinking made my head throb. However, after a cup of coffee, I felt slightly better. Our itinerary was similar to the previous day's, but today, we went out. We walked in the park, and the kids threw a frisbee. We got hotdogs and played ring toss, which won Leon a teddy bear that he handed to Brady.
“Stuffed animals are for babies,” he said, but I watched him smile pleasantly as Brady made action figure noises with it.
Our last stop was the grocery store, and we picked up some items that were running low at home. When I handed the black card to the cashier, he did a double-take. His eyes fell on the boys beside me, then his brows lifted, and he nodded to himself. I wasn't going to let a judgmental cashier bother me, so I smiled, paid, and we headed back home.
Once inside, I unloaded the groceries as the boys went to play their game. Tonight's dinner was a little more complicated, and I wanted to get it done quickly, so I let them play while I cooked.
While the vegetables simmered, I leaned against the island and pulled my phone from my pocket. In the past few days, I'd been so preoccupied with taking care of the boys that I hardly gave my phone any attention. Now, though, I was happy to catch up with the world. I tapped on the notification bar. Ooh, a message. As I read it, the blood drained from my face.
Hands shaking, I examined the message closer. It was from an unlisted number, but the tone and content meant it could only be from one person.
“I’ll be seeing you soon, sweetheart. I miss you,” I read aloud, hoping I was wrong, but it sounded exactly as menacing as it did in my head.
My breath came out in quick gasps. How did Eric get my number? I stared at the message like it held the answer, but no, only his promise to see me soon. What did that even mean? I paced the kitchen, my heart thumping in my chest. Not only had I blocked his number, I had also changed mine. Moved across the country. How did he find me?
My eyes clouded with tears and my hands shook, but I managed to delete the message and block the number. He was probably just messing with me. He had no idea where I was. I'd been careful and erased everything that could link me back to the city. No one from my former life had my address or knew where I was.
The pot boiled over behind me, and I snapped back into action. I grabbed a towel and seized the steaming pot off the stove, dropping it into the sink. My head was a mess. I leaned against the sink for a long minute, breathing deeply. I'd done everything I could to avoid being found. He couldn't locate me. He wouldn't. I was free from him.
I kept up that positive self-talk throughout the night and into the next day, but my mood was sorely affected. Brady asked once why I was sad, and I forced a smile for the kids' benefit. I had a job to do, and I wouldn't let my stalking ex ruin it for me.
On Sunday evening, the boys and I were cleaning up after dinner when I heard sounds from the entryway. I froze, scared out of my wits, then remembered Shawn was due home. Plus, Eric had no idea where I was, and even if he did, he wouldn't be able to get to me. I was safe. I breathed deeply and headed toward the sound.
Shawn had his back to the closed front door, a bag over his shoulder. He knelt and hugged the boys, ruffling their hair. "I've missed you too, boys." He stood. "Have you been good?"
“Uh-huh,” Leon said, puffing his chest. “We made pancakes.”
“And a carrot cake!” Brady hopped up and down.
I smiled and stepped aside to let their dad walk toward the living room. They talked over themselves, eager to tell him about all we did. Shawn looked between them, expressing his interest. Well, if a slight smile and lifted brows could be interpreted as such.
“I'm glad you had fun.” Then he turned to me.
I wasn't quite prepared for the intensity of his gaze. His beard had grown fuller, his blue eyes darker. I drew in a few slow and steady breaths and smiled. "Welcome home, S-Shawn." God, he was so intimidating that it felt wrong to address him by name.
“Hey.” He nodded at me, his smile gone. “Thanks for looking after the kids.”
Thanks? It's my job.I settled for a nod and a smile. I wanted to ask if his trip was successful, but he continued.
"You can take the night off. You seem tired. Hope they didn't stress you out too much." He glanced toward the living room where the boys were playing.
I was sure I looked haggard after a night of tossing and turning, worried over Eric's text. “I'm fine.”
