Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 136743 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136743 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
I can’t delay breaking their hearts a little more for much longer. When I returned Brunson’s call, he told me about Edward’s upcoming early release. I wanted to let Edward tell the girls about his son with Amber, and though that is the easy way for me, it’s probably not best for them. I don’t trust him to navigate it carefully or honestly.
I’ve gotten used to doing the hard things Edward wasn’t man enough to handle. I’ll do it again to make sure my girls have the tools to process this latest of their father’s transgressions.
We made it. There was so much that could have gone wrong. So much did go wrong after the night our whole world was torn asunder. None of it ruined us, though. Me and my daughters are still here, stronger, closer, and the knot of nerves that’s been tangled in my belly all day dissolves. We have overcome so much, and we’re still standing. I’m not only standing. I’m thriving. I’m in love… with myself, and with an amazing man who couldn’t be more perfect for me. We’ll be fine.
“Girls, this is Mr. Cross.” I look up at Judah, whose face is set in its usual stern lines, but his mouth makes the tiniest concession of a smile.
“We’ve met,” Inez says somewhat cheekily. “Remember?”
I widen my eyes at her, but she grins unrepentantly.
“We did.” Judah offers a small smile. “Good to see you again. Nice to meet you, Lottie, Lupe.”
“Nice to meet you too,” Lupe says.
“You have two sons?” Lottie asks, starting down the steps.
“I do.” Judah’s smile grows. “Wanna meet them?”
It goes better than I could have hoped. Everyone devours the cabbage, chicken, and mac and cheese. Adam surprises me and picks at the chicken a little, and he has two servings of the macaroni.
I hold my breath when Aaron raises the first spoonful of mac and cheese up to his nose for an investigative sniff. After a few seconds, he takes a tiny bite. And then another and another. I have to suppress a squeal, and I can’t take my eyes off him.
“He’ll stop eating if you keep staring,” Judah whispers beside me.
“Sorry.” I avert my eyes but sneak another glance because my heart grows a size with every bite. “He likes it! He likes it!”
Judah’s muffled laughter draws a playful kick from me under the table. When I look at him, for a few seconds the whole room disappears. The humor in his eyes melts into something soft and hot and affectionate. He leans down and presses a soft kiss into my hair. I don’t even check to see who’s watching. I don’t care, but lean into it and squeeze his hand on my knee.
Lupe and Lottie have brought the Uno cards to the table because of course they have and are playing with Adam. Typically I wouldn’t have that at my dining room table, but I make an exception because it’s so amazing seeing our kids interacting. After one helping of macaroni, Aaron pulls out one of his cubes and starts shifting and sliding until it’s finished in no time. He must have noticed Inez watching because he takes a cube from the backpack and offers it to her. Her face lights up and they start racing. Inez will never beat him, but she’s giggling and struggling and doesn’t seem bothered that he beats her every time. He really is exceptional. One of Aaron’s teachers suggested entering him in some local cubing tournaments. Who knows what that could lead to?
“Well, this was delicious,” Tremaine says, scraping her bowl of peace cobbler and vanilla ice cream. “We need to get home, though. Tomorrow’s Saturday, but I have to pop into the office for a few hours.”
“Boys, you ready?” Kent asks.
The dynamic Kent has with the boys is so natural, not authoritarian, just… involved. Tremaine and Judah are some of the most mature co-parents I’ve ever seen. There is obviously so much love and respect and friendship between them.
“It’s still early,” Judah says, reaching for my hand.
I look down at our joined hands and remind myself not to pull away. I know it’s deliberate on his part, acclimating everyone to us being together, and he’s right. I lean into him a little.
“It is,” I agree. “Did you have something in mind?”
“A drive? The boys are headed to Tremaine’s for the weekend, and I have a surprise outside to show you if that’s okay?”
“We’ve got the dishes, Mom,” Lupe says.
I didn’t realize she was close enough to hear.
“Yeah, we got it, Mom,” Inez says, looking from Judah to me, her grin small, but there. “Just don’t break curfew.”
“I won’t keep her out long,” Judah reassures her with a smile.
We laugh and say our final goodbyes to Tremaine, Kent, and the boys.
“Okay. I’ll be back,” I tell the girls, and grab my jacket from the mudroom. “Make sure that kitchen floor is—”