Mom, Don't Cry! Here comes a new Daddy! novel Chapter 13

Chapter 11-2

Chapter 11-2

Claim

Tommy is my friend from school. Tommy’s mom and dad got divorced last year. Tommy said after his dad left, some bigger kids at the park were mean to his mom, and she looked scared. Tommy said his mom didn’t have anyone to stand tall for her. But then, Tommy’s mom found a new boyfriend.

“Tommy said his new dad is very, very tall,” I explain, holding my hand up high to show how tall. “He wears shiny shoes. And when the mean lady at the grocery store was bad to Tommy’s mom, the new dad just looked at her, and the mean lady got small and quiet and ran away. Tommy said nobody can bully his mom anymore because the new dad is a protector.”

I also want mommy to have a protector.

Daddy and Jessica are bad. They are bullies. They made Mommy lose her job and they want to steal me from her. I want to protect Mommy. But I know I am small and weak and don’t have shiny shoes to scare them away.

I’m not strong enough to protector mom yet.

That’s why I must find mom a very tall, shiny-shoe protector who can make the bullies run

away.

Aunt Sophia looks at me, and her eyes get a little wet, but she doesn’t cry. She smiles, and it’s a big, fierce smile. “You are the cleverest five-year-old I know, Jake. A protector, huh? You’re absolutely right. Your mom is too strong-headed to ask for help, so we’ll just have to trick her into getting the best help in the world. She needs someone who sees her worth, not someone who calls her a substitute.”

This is why I like Aunt Sophia.

She always has good snacks and she doesn’t treat me like a baby the way mommy does. Though I do love mommy more…I like Aunt Sophia too.

“We need to find a very, very nice man,” I say, listing the rules. “We make them answer questions. And send pictures. And then we pick someone who would make mom happy. He has to like my drawings. And he has to make mom laugh. Not that fake quiet laugh, but the big, loud happy laugh.”

“Deal,” Aunt Sophia says, reaching across and giving me a high-five that makes Rexy almost fall over. “And since you are the famous one, Jake the Artist, we’re going to use your influence. We will host the greatest ‘Search for a New Dad’ contest the internet has ever

seen.”

Chapter 11-2

I think about this. “What if Mom finds out before the contest ends and gets mad?”

Claim

“Then we explain that we were trying to help. And if she’s really mad, we stop. But I think once she meets the right person, she’ll be happy we did it.” Aunt Sophia ruffles my hair. “Your mom deserves to be happy, Jake. And if we can help make that happen, we should try.”

I nod. Mom does deserve to be happy. She’s the best mom ever and Dad was really mean to

her and that’s not fair.

“Okay,” I say. “Let’s do it.”

I check my reflection on the tablet screen, smooth down my hair, then hit the button to go

live.

Almost immediately, viewers start popping up. Ten. Twenty. Fifty. Within two minutes, over three hundred people are watching.

“Hi everyone!” I say into the camera, waving. “Thanks for coming to my special livestream. I have a very important announcement to make today!”

The comments start rolling in.

OMG! He’s so cute

Jake! We missed you!

What’s the announcement?

Is this about your new painting series?

I take a deep breath, then use the serious expression daddy always wears when he’s talking on the phone. “My mom is the best mom in the whole world. She makes my lunch every day, helps with my homework, and plays dinosaur train with me even when she’s tired. She’s really, really good at art too. She’s a Creative Director, which means she makes cool stuff for companies. But my mom is very sad now because my Daddy likes a new lady. He was mean to her and made her lose her job. So I want to find a new dad!”

WAIT WHAT?

Is this for real???

OMG! This kid is savage!

I volunteer as tribute!

“If you want to help me search for a new dad, here are the requirements,” I flip my poster

board around.

2’3

Chapter 11 2

REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW DAD:

1. Must be nice to Mom
2. Must like dinosaurs
3. Must make Mom happy
4. Must make Mom smile and laugh
5. Must be okay with me coming first

“And if you want to apply to be my new dad, send a video telling why you think you’d be a good fit for my mom!”

Clarm

The comments section keeps scrolling. The viewer count has jumped to over two thousand.

This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

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