WILL
Ihadn’t heard from Natalie for a few days, and it was starting to weigh on me. At first, I told myself she needed time. Whatever was going on at home was bound to be messy. I didn’t want to push her, but as the silence stretched on, doubt started creeping in.
Was she pulling away from me completely? Was she trying to patch things up with her husband? Was she just overwhelmed? I didn’t know, and not knowing was the hardest part.
I wanted to reach out, but I knew better. Natalie was always careful, guarded even, about how much she let me into her life outside of us. If she needed space, I had to respect that, even if it was killing me.
I replayed our last moments together from the gala in my head, searching for clues. Had I said or done something wrong? Was I expecting too much from her? The truth was, we were at a crossroads. I knew I was asking her to make a choice that couldturn her entire life upside down. I didn’t want to be selfish, but I also didn’t want to lose her.
Work kept me busy and distracted throughout the week, and having the kids with me this weekend helped, too. Chase was in full soccer mode, Carter had a science project that needed way too much parental involvement, and Ivy was her usual bubbly self, dragging me into impromptu tea parties. Still, every quiet moment made space for thoughts of Natalie.
By midweek, Kelly started texting me about summer camp schedules and expenses. It was typical Kelly, organized to the point of annoyance, but I knew she was angling for more. When she insisted we meet in person to go over the details, I had a bad feeling she had something else on her agenda.
We met on Friday at the same coffee shop we met at before. It was her afternoon to pick up the kids, so I wouldn’t see them for the next week. I walked in, expecting a tense discussion about logistics or finances. What I didn’t expect was to see Natalie sitting at the table with Kelly, deep in conversation.
My heart sank. Was this an ambush? Did Kelly know about us? I couldn’t read the situation, but my gut told me this wasn’t a coincidence. Kelly was likely fishing for information, and Natalie’s body language looked stiff. Her smile was forced.
Kelly waved me over, her expression smooth and casual. “Hi, Will! You know Bebe’s mom, Natalie,” she said, her tone deceptively friendly. “We were just brainstorming a mother-daughter day for Bebe and Ivy.”
I swallowed hard and forced a smile. “Hi,” I said to Natalie, keeping my voice light. “Good to see you.”
Natalie’s discomfort was palpable. She barely met my eyes as she stood up. “Well, I need to get going,” she said quickly. “Nice to see you both.”
Kelly smiled sweetly, undeterred. “I’ll be in touch, Natalie,” she said, her tone laced with a subtle edge.
As soon as Natalie was out the door, Kelly turned her attention to me, her sharp eyes narrowing. “Why’d you seem so tense around her?” she asked, her voice deliberately casual.
I hesitated, trying to gauge her angle. Was she testing me? Fishing for something? I decided to play dumb. “Tense? I wasn’t tense. Just surprised to see her here.”
Kelly leaned back in her chair, her smile turning into something colder. “Madison told me Natalie was around recently. She mentioned something about a sleepover.”
My shoulders stiffened, my pulse quickening. “Madison was drinking with her friends, and I had to pick her up. I needed someone to stay with the younger kids, so Natalie offered to help.”
Kelly’s mouth twisted into a smirk. “How convenient. Where’s her husband in all of this?” She paused, her eyes narrowing as she studied my reaction. “Does he know about this friendship?”
I felt a surge of frustration. I took some steading breaths deciding how I was going to proceed. The ball was in my court, I had a decision to make. “This isn’t just a friendship, Kelly. I want more with her,” I said finally, the words spilling out before I could stop them.
Her face fell. Her smirk was replaced by a look of disbelief. “You never could handle anything complicated, Will. You run from messy or hard. This…whatever you’re doing with her, it’s an illusion.”
I shrugged, unwilling to let her bait me further. “Believe what you want.”
Kelly’s tone sharpened. “I’ll let the court know our daughter was drinking under your watch and that you were entertaining another woman that night. The kids will be with me more from now on.”
Her threat hit me like a slap. My jaw tightened as I fought to keep my composure. “You’re seriously going to use Madison’s mistake to punish me? You think that’s best for the kids?”
She went quiet for a beat, her lips curling into a smug smile. “Yes. They’ll have a family again. Jeff and I are moving in together. We’re building a house.”
I clenched my fists under the table, anger bubbling up. “So, you can do whatever you want, but you want to dictate my life?”
“You’re acting like a child, Will,” she snapped. “This is just some fantasy for you with some mediocre housewife from the Midwest.”
Her words stung. Before I could respond, she stood, gathering her things with an air of finality. “I’ll be in touch,” she said coolly before walking out.
I sat there for a moment, staring at the empty seat across from me. Kelly’s words echoed in my head, but I pushed them aside. I knew she was trying to rattle me, to make me second-guess everything.
Still, the encounter left a bitter taste in my mouth. Kelly’s threat to use Madison’s incident against me wasn’t just cruel, it was calculated. She knew the kids were thriving with me, even Madison. Although, I had to admit, Madison was playing both sides, manipulating Kelly and me to get what she wanted.
As I walked out of the coffee shop, my phone buzzed. My heart leapt when I saw Natalie’s name on the screen.
