“And?”
“He wants Leo to grow up in a home with two parents. A real family.” Jenna’s eyes filled with tears. “Sam’s not asking me to love him, and I’m not asking him to love me. But we both love Leo, and Sam thinks… he believes that giving Leo a stable, two-parent home is worth giving us a try. For Leo’s sake.”
The words landed like punches. Sam was choosing to be with Jenna. Not because he loved her. But because he wanted Leo to have both parents under one roof.
“Why are you telling me this?” I managed to ask.
“Sam’s been trying to figure out how to tell you.” Jenna wiped her eyes. “Sam and I have been talking, Chloe. Aboutwhat’s best for Leo. About whether we could make it work as a family. And Sam’s decided he’s willing to try.”
My mind flashed back to the phone call last night. Sam’s voice when I told him I knew about Leo and Jenna.“Chloe, I’m so sorry—”
I’d interrupted him. Told him we’d talk today. But what was he sorry about? Sorry that I’d met Leo and Jenna? Sorry that he hadn’t told me sooner? Or sorry that he was breaking up with me to give Leo a two-parent home?
“Leo needs consistency,” Jenna continued, her voice breaking slightly. “He needs to know that the people he loves aren’t going to disappear. He’s already been abandoned by the man he thought was his father, my ex-husband. Sam doesn’t want him to grow up shuttling between homes, confused about where he belongs.”
When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.
The diagnostic principle I’d learned in vet school echoed in my head. When the evidence pointed in one direction, you didn’t look for exotic explanations. You went with the obvious answer.
Evidence: Sam had been distant for six days. Sam had changed his mind about proposing. Sam had a son who needed stability. Sam had said “I’m sorry” on the phone last night. Jenna was here, carefully explaining that Sam wanted to give Leo a two-parent home — not out of love for her, but out of love for his son.
Sam wasn’t cheating. That was the good news.
But he was still leaving me. For noble reasons. For his son. To give Leo what he’d never had.
The obvious conclusion – the horse, not the zebra – was unmistakable.
“So Sam’s moving in with you,” I said quietly. Not a question. A diagnosis based on the symptoms I’d been observing.
“Sam didn’t want to hurt you, but can you understand the position he’s in?” Jenna’s eyes filled with tears she was trying to hold back. “Leo asks me every night if Sam is really his daddy, if he’s going to stay. I have to look at my son and tell him I don’t know. A child who’s already been abandoned by one father shouldn’t have to live with that uncertainty.”
“Sam and I could–”
“Could what? Work it out together? Have Sam split his time between two homes?” Jenna shook her head sadly. “Chloe, I’m not saying this to hurt you. But Sam doesn’t want Leo to have a part-time dad who sees him on weekends and holidays.”
“So he’s choosing—”
“He’s choosing to give Leo a father who's there every day.” Jenna’s voice was gentle but firm. “Who tucks him in at night. Who’s there for breakfast and homework, and bedtime stories. Sam and I aren’t in love, Chloe. But we’re both willing to try to build something for Leo’s sake.”
The words hit differently than if she’d said Sam loved her. Because this? This I could almost understand. This was Sam being noble. Sam sacrificing his own happiness for his son. Sam doing what he thought was right.
And wasn’t that exactly who Sam was? The man who’d shown up for Emma’s birth because nobody could get hold of Jack. The man who’d helped Jack put his family back together. The man who believed family was everything.
Of course, he’d give up his relationship with me to give his son a real family.
“You have a demanding career,” Jenna continued softly. “Leo needs someone who can be fully present. Sam’s not asking you to give up everything you’ve worked for. He’s trying to protect you from having to make that choice.”
Protect me.Just like he’d been protecting me all week by not telling me? “When is Sam planning to tell me?” I asked quietly.
“Today. This afternoon.” Jenna wiped her eyes. “We talked about it over breakfast this morning. He promised he’d tell you today, but…” She hesitated, looking genuinely conflicted. “He’s told me several times that he was going to tell you, and he keeps backing out. I feel bad for you, being kept in the dark like this. That’s why I wanted to talk to you, to tell you what’s going on. I’d like us to be friends, Chloe. This doesn’t have to be ugly.”
Wait. Breakfast this morning? Sam had texted me at 9 AM from the bar. When would he have had breakfast with Jenna?
But maybe they’d met earlier. Maybe 7 AM, before Sam texted me. Or maybe she meant yesterday and misspoke. Or maybe I was just grasping at straws because I didn’t want this to be true. The overall picture was too clear to dismiss over one timeline detail.
“Sam’s going to tell you this afternoon,” Jenna continued. “And we’ll be moving in together as soon as possible. He just needs to work out the logistics.”
Logistics. Of course. Sam needed to have everything planned out, all the details arranged, before he would tell me he was leaving.
