Dear Ex-Wife Please Be Mine Again (Christina and Alex) novel Chapter 69

Christiana's POV

It was early evening, and the kids were finally settled in their playroom, but I could feel the weight of their curious eyes on me. Emma was sitting cross-legged on the floor, fiddling with a stuffed bunny, while Ethan was sprawled on the couch with a tablet in his hands. They’d been strangely quiet all afternoon, but I knew them better than that. The questions were coming; it was only a matter of time.

I sighed softly, sipping my tea, trying to mentally prepare for the inevitable conversation. They were five, but they were sharp…too sharp sometimes.

“Mommy,” Emma finally piped up, her big brown eyes wide as she looked up at me. “Are you and Daddy going to be together again?”

And there it was.

I nearly choked on my tea. I set the cup down carefully, forcing a smile onto my face. "No, sweetheart. Daddy and I aren’t going to be together like that again."

Emma's face scrunched up, and she dropped her stuffed bunny to her lap. "But whyyyy not?" Her voice was whiny, her bottom lip jutting out in the most dramatic pout I'd ever seen.

Ethan, not to be left out, sat up straight and joined the conversation. "Yeah, why not?" His expression was much more serious than Emma's, but there was a curious light in his eyes. "You were together before. You could just... do it again, right?"

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, trying to find the right words to explain this in a way they'd understand. "Well, it’s not that simple. Sometimes grown-ups realize that they’re better apart than together."

"But you were together last night!" Emma protested, bouncing up to her feet. "You slept in the same room!" Her eyes were full of accusation, like she’d caught me in some elaborate scheme.

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to suppress a laugh. "That was because Mommy wasn’t feeling well, and Daddy wanted to make sure I was okay. It doesn't mean we're getting back together, Em."

Emma wasn’t convinced. She folded her arms across her chest, pouting even harder. "But I want you to be together!" she whined, stamping her foot for extra emphasis.

I sighed softly, standing up and walking over to where she stood. I knelt in front of her, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. "I know, baby. I know it’s hard to understand. But Mommy and Daddy... we work better as friends. We’re happier that way, and that’s important, don’t you think?"

Emma’s pout deepened. "But... I don’t get it. If you love Daddy and Daddy loves you, why can't you just be together?"

Her innocent question hit me like a punch in the gut. I glanced at Ethan, who was watching us both closely, waiting for my answer. He wasn’t whining like Emma, but I could see the same question in his eyes. He just wanted things to make sense.

I took a deep breath. "It’s not just about love, Em. Sometimes, even when two people care about each other, they realize that they’re better at being parents together than being... married."

Emma scrunched her nose in confusion. "But I’ll like it when you’re married. It will be fun."

A small laugh escaped me despite the seriousness of the conversation. "I know, sweetheart. But Mommy and Daddy are still going to be here for you. We’ll always love you and your brother, no matter what. That will never change."

Ethan finally spoke up, his voice quiet but firm. "But you looked happy this morning."

I blinked, my heart tightening. "What do you mean?"

Ethan shrugged, his expression thoughtful. "When I saw you with Dad... you were smiling. And Daddy was smiling too. That hasn’t happened in a long time."

I felt my throat tighten. I hadn’t realized they noticed things like that—how long it had been since Alex and I had shared a smile. "Sometimes, people can have good moments together, Ethan. That doesn’t mean we should be together all the time."

"But I want more good moments," Ethan said, his voice full of childlike logic.