Broken Vows and Buried Twins novel Chapter 162

Hester did not look at him. She simply accepted another cookie from Caden. "You have some too, Caden. But cookies can upset your stomach, so don't eat too many at once, okay?"

"Okay!" Caden grabbed a cookie, popped it into his mouth, and obediently sat down right beside Hester.

Hester looked at him. "It's Monday today. Why didn't you go to kindergarten?"

Caden paused, looking up as he thought about his answer. "Daddy said I should stay home and keep you company. He said missing a few days of kindergarten wouldn't matter."

Hearing this, Hester shifted her gaze to Julian.

Julian cleared his throat before speaking. "Seraphina called this morning. She feels terrible that Caden being here might be too much work for you, and it's been weighing on her mind. She wants to come over and thank you in person."

"There's no need for an in-person thank you," Hester replied, her tone perfectly flat. "I have to go out this afternoon anyway. If she wants to come over, she can."

Julian looked genuinely surprised.

He had fully expected Hester to refuse. He hadn't anticipated her agreeing so readily.

Hester easily read the surprise in his reaction.

She immediately reinforced her boundaries. "Remember what I said last night. If she can't maintain her composure, then until Caden is fully recovered, I see no reason for her to visit."

Julian pressed his lips together. "I've already spoken with her. She recognizes where she went wrong, and she promised to do exactly as you asked."

Hester said nothing more.

She had made her stance perfectly clear. Whether or not Seraphina could actually follow through was entirely on her.

...

Seraphina arrived at eleven-thirty, bringing Celeste along with her.

Celeste's hands were full of expensive nutritional supplements, all gifts from Seraphina for Hester.

When they arrived, Hester was up in the second-floor sunroom, painting with Caden.

Hester heard the commotion downstairs and paused her brushstrokes.

He understood exactly what she was trying to say.

The truth was, he already knew.

He knew that the strange woman was his real mother.

He had overheard their conversations.

He also knew that his daddy wasn't actually his daddy.

His real daddy had gone to heaven, so after he was born, his current daddy had raised him.

But he didn't want to change his mommy, and he didn't want to change his daddy.

He just wanted them to keep living together exactly the way they always had.

Caden's little hand tightened its grip on his crayon. He lowered his head. "Mommy, do you want me to accept her?"