Tears fill her eyes. “I’m so scared.”
“Then be scared,” I say. “And keep going anyway. You have to. We both do.”
Our paths are different. She’s navigating motherhood alone. I’m learning how to stand on my own two feet for the first time in what feels like forever.
But the truth is the same.
We’re both walking forward.
Even if the road’s a little broken beneath us.
“Come on. Let’s go eat,” Olive says gently.
“I’ll be right there.”
Once she’s gone, I sit on the edge of the bed and pull out my phone. My thumb hovers for a beat before I scroll through the camera roll and find the clearest shot from the ultrasound.
Then I open a new message.
Liam Stone
>
Here’s the latest ultrasound of your kids, you dumbass. They’re healthy and thriving while you’re busy self-destructing.
PS – Olive is fine, too.
He doesn’t deserve to know. Not really.
But maybe—maybe—this will be enough to get him off his sorry ass and go after the woman he loves.
I don’t expect a reply. And I don’t get one.
Not from him, anyway.
But the next morning, I get a message that stops me cold.
Will Flowers
Hey. Heard you’re with Olive.
I am. Why are you up so early?
I’m with Liam. We’re coming up with a plan for him to win Olive back.
I need your help.
I stare at the message, heart doing something weird and traitorous in my chest.
My help?
Can’t do it without you, kiddo.
And there it is.
Kiddo.
I swear to God, I almost throw my phone across the damn room but I’m a god damn adult.
