Mom, Don't Cry! Here comes a new Daddy! novel Chapter 11

Chapter 10-2

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Chapter 10-2

But the custody battle looms like a storm cloud, and I can’t shake the feeling that Dustin and Jessica are planning something worse.

Something I might not anticipate.

“Mom, you’re doing that thing again,” Jake says from across the breakfast table, pulling me from my thoughts.

“What thing?”

“The worry thing. Your face gets all scrunchy.” He demonstrates, wrinkling his nose and furrowing his brow in an exaggerated imitation that would be funny if it wasn’t so accurate.

“Sorry, baby. Just thinking about grown-up stuff.”

“Is it about Dad?” His voice is careful, like he’s testing dangerous waters.

I haven’t told him about the divorce yet. Not officially. But he’s smart enough to know something’s wrong, especially since we’ve been living at Sophia’s for almost a week now.

“Sort of,” I admit, because lying to him feels worse than the truth. “Your dad and I are… thinking about going our separate ways.”

“Like getting a divorce?”

I gasp, shocked. “And how do you know about what a divorce is, young man?”

Jake scoffs, giving me a disdainful look as if he can’t believe I’m treating him like a child. Which, honestly speaking, he is.

But this kid is way too mature for his age.

I wonder if that has something to do with my upbringing. And the thought of failing to protect him, to shelter him well enough to allow him to grow up like kids his age, makes me question myself for the first time.

“Tommy at school’s parents got divorced last year. He has two houses now and gets extra presents at Christmas.”

Ah. So I’m not a failure after all. He learned it at school.

I should have known he’d figure it out. “Yes. We’re getting divorced. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know that’s hard to hear.”

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Chapter 10 2

Jake considers this for a moment, pushing his cereal around his bowl. “It’s okay. I think I knew already. Dad doesn’t look at you the way Prince Charming looks at Cinderella in the movie. And you cry a lot when you think I’m not watching.”

God, when did my baby get so perceptive?

“I’m sorry you’ve had to see that,” I say quietly.

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“It’s not your fault.” He looks up at me with those too-wise eyes. “Dad’s the one who made you sad. And that lady Jessica. She’s mean.”

“She is,” I agree, because there’s no point sugarcoating it.

“So we’re better off without them, right?” He nods to himself, like he’s solved a complex problem. “Me and you, we’re a team. We don’t need Dad if he’s going to be mean.”

I pull him into a hug, blinking back tears. “Yeah, baby. We’re a team.”

After I drop Jake at school, I return to find Sophia in her home office, on a video call with someone. She waves me in, gesturing to the seat beside her.

“-yes, I understand the timeline is tight,” she’s saying to whoever’s on screen. “But I have complete faith in our new Creative Director. She’s brilliant, and she’s exactly what Phoenix

needs right now.”

New Creative Director. She’s talking about me.

“When can we meet her?” a woman’s voice asks from the laptop.

“Monday. She starts officially then, but I can arrange an introduction call this week if you’d

like.”

They discuss logistics for a few more minutes before Sophia signs off, then turns to me with a satisfied smile.

“That was Margaret Wilson, our VP of Marketing. She’s excited to meet you.”

“Sophia, I haven’t even started yet and you’re already telling people I’m brilliant?”

“Because you are. Stop doubting yourself.” She stands, stretching. “Now, I have to run to a meeting downtown, but I should be back by three. Will you pick up Jake?”

“Of course.”

She pauses at the door, studying me. “You seem better today. Less haunted.”

“I think I’m just running out of tears,” I admit. “Or maybe I’m finally getting angry enough that

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