My foot starts bouncing under the kitchen table. My fingers feel cold and shaky. I try to focus on the kids’ voices, River insisting on cartoons, Myles arguing for a superhero movie, but the sound blurs together into one loud, overwhelming hum.
Unavailable for an hour.
If it was anything innocent, he would’ve told me. But he didn’t. He ignored me when I asked.
That can only mean one thing.
He’s going forward with the divorce.
The request for space was just a ploy to get his ducks in order. Like he said, he won’t be a weekend dad.
He’s going to take the kids from me.
And when they find out why our marriage ended, they’ll hate me anyway.
Everyone already does. Simone. Darren. His parents.
He’s going to leave me and take everything.
My chest feels tight, like someone wrapped a band around my ribs and keeps pulling it tighter.
Breathe, Jess.
I try to inhale slowly.
It doesn’t work.
Instead, my breathing goes shallow and fast. Like I can’t get enough air no matter how hard I try.
Oh God.
Not now.
My hands start tingling.
I stare at the wall, trying to ground myself. I haven’t felt this tightness in a long time.
My heart slams against my chest.
I’m going to lose everything.
The room suddenly feels like it’s on fire.
“Jess?”
Logan’s voice cuts through the noise in my head.
I turn toward him. He’s watching me from the couch, concern on his face.
Fake concern, my mind snaps.
He doesn’t care.
“You okay?” he asks.
I don’t answer.
I just walk to the front door and start pulling on my boots, grabbing my coat from the hanger.
