Mom, Don't Cry! Here comes a new Daddy! novel Chapter 27

Chapter 21-2

Chapter 21-2

+25 Points

“He has nice eyes-Mom likes nice eyes. That’s probably why he makes her so happy. And he likes art, remember?”

Aunt Sophia laughs. “I remember. You picked very well, my little matchmaker.”

Being a matchmaker is a very important job, so I sit up straighter.

Aunt Sophia turns to me. Her face is serious now. “Jake, kiddo, I need you to understand your mom and Jason just met today. They might not-”

“They’re going to fall in love,” I interrupt, because I know it. I feel it in my tummy, the same way I know when it’s going to rain or when Mom is about to cry. “Jason is going to be my new dad. I can

feel it.”

“I hope you’re right, kiddo.” She ruffles my hair, turning back to move the mouse around to cut and

clip the video. “Your mom deserves happiness. She deserves to feel beautiful and wanted and

appreciated.”

I nod. “Dad never made her smile. He used to make her cry. I heard her sometimes, at night, when

she thought I was sleeping.”

Aunt Sophia’s hand stops moving. She turns to look at me, and her eyes are shiny like she might cry

too.

“Oh, Jake.”

“It’s okay,” I say quickly, because I don’t want her to be sad. “She doesn’t cry anymore. And now she

has Jason, and Jason has shiny shoes, so he can protect mom from Dad and the mean lady.”

“Shiny shoes again?” Aunt Sophia’s mouth twitches like she’s trying not to smile.

“Tommy says his new dad has shiny shoes and that’s how you know someone is a good protector.

Because shiny shoes are expensive, and expensive means they have money, and money means ❘ they can give you a worry-free life.” I nod seriously. “Jason’s shoes were very shiny when I checked

them in the hallway. He also has more than one pair!”

This time Aunt Sophia does laugh, but it’s warm and bright and makes me feel good.

“You are the smartest five-year-old I’ve ever met,” she says, ruffling my hair. “Okay, let’s add a

caption. What should we say?”

I think hard, chewing on my bottom lip the way mommy does when she’s concentrating.

“Mom’s making a new friend?” I suggest.

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Chapter 21-2

“Perfect. And then what?”

+25 Points

“Mission Finding New Dad is a Success!” The words tumble out excited and fast. “And we should put the hashtag Mom Finds Happiness. And Cruise Adventure!”

Aunt Sophia types it all in, and then she shows me the screen. “Look good?”

I read it twice to make sure. Then I nod. “Don’t forget to tag dad.”

“Tag your dad?” Aunt Sophia gives me a weird look. “Why do you want to tag your dad? I thought you were ready to accept Jason as your new dad?”

I roll my eyes. “Aunt Sophia, if we don’t tag dad, how will he know mom has a new protector now? We need him to see the video, right?”

She stops, then gives me that fierce and scary smile. “Jake, you’re one hell of a kid, you know that? I’ve seen betrayed wives taking revenge on their husbands by dating better men before. But I’ve never seen a son face-slap his father on his mother’s behalf before. You’re a gem!”

She laughs again, then tags dad and clicks the big…POST…button.

Almost immediately, my tablet starts buzzing. And buzzing. And buzzing more.

The numbers go up so fast I can barely read them. Ten likes. One hundred. Five hundred.

“It’s working!” I bounce in my chair. “People like it!”

“They love it,” Aunt Sophia corrects, scrolling through the comments that are already starting to

pop up.

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