Mom, Don't Cry! Here comes a new Daddy! novel Chapter 8

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Chapter 8-1

(Sabrina’s POV)

Jake is the last kid waiting when we arrive at Little Learners Academy. He’s sitting on the playground, drawing in the dirt with a stick, his backpack beside him. When he sees us pull up, his face lights up and he comes running.

“Mom! Aunt Sophia! Guess what? I made a new friend today and we built a castle in the sandbox and Miss Amy said my painting was the best in class!”

The normalcy of it-his excitement, his innocence-nearly breaks me. I scoop him up even though he’s getting too big for it, breathing in his little-boy smell of graham crackers and playground dirt.

“That’s amazing, baby. I can’t wait to see your painting.”

“It’s in my backpack. I’ll show you when we get home.” He pauses, looking between Sophia and me. “Why are you both here? Is something wrong?”

Kids. They’re like emotional bloodhounds.

“Nothing’s wrong,” I lie smoothly. “Aunt Sophia and I had some errands to run, so we thought we’d pick you up together.”

“Oh. Okay.” He seems to accept this, then brightens again. “Can we have pizza for dinner? With extra cheese?”

“Absolutely,” Sophia says before I can protest about imposing further. “We’ll order from that place you like.”

Back at the penthouse, Jake disappears into the playroom while Sophia orders food and I try to figure out what to do next. I need to find an apartment. Update my resume. Tell Jake that we’re moving, that his father and I are getting divorced, that his entire life is about to change.

We’re halfway through dinner-pizza, as promised-when Jake suddenly looks up at me with those too-knowing eyes.

“Mom, did you get fired today?”

I nearly choke on my bite. “What? Why would you think that?”

“I heard Miss Amy talking to Miss Beth. She said your office called and that you got fired because of some lady being mean.” He says it matter-of-factly, like he’s discussing the

weather. “Is it true?”

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Chapter 8-1

Sophia and I exchange glances. There’s no point lying. He’ll find out eventually.

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“Yes,” I say carefully. “I did lose my job today. But it’s going to be okay. I’m going to find a new

one.”

Jake processes this for a moment, his small face serious. Then, without warning, he shoves back from the table and marches to the living room where Sophia’s phone is charging.

“Jake? What are you-”

He’s already dialing before I can stop him. I hear the ringing, then a familiar voice.

“Hello?”

“You’re a bad daddy!” Jake’s voice is high and furious, the words tumbling out in a rush. “Miss Amy said you made Mom get fired and that’s mean! You’re supposed to be nice to Mom, not make her cry and take her job away! I hate you!”

“Jake, buddy, listen-” Dustin’s voice is tinny through the speaker, trying to be soothing.

“No! You listen! Mom is the best mom ever and you’re being mean to her and I don’t want to live with you anymore! I want to stay with Mom forever and ever!”

Before Dustin can respond, Jake hangs up and throws the phone on the couch. Then he runs to me, and suddenly my five-year-old boy is sobbing into my lap, his whole body shaking.

“I don’t want you to be sad,” he cries. “I don’t want Dad to be mean to you. Why is he being so

mean?”

I pull him close, stroking his hair while my own tears threaten to fall. “Oh, baby. It’s complicated. Adult stuff that you don’t need to worry about.”

“But you’re my mom!” He pulls back, his face red and blotchy. “I’m supposed to take care of you.”

“Sweetheart, that’s not your job. I’m the mom. I take care of you.”

“Then let me help.” His little hands grip my arms. “Please, Mom. I want to help.”

Sophia appears with tissues, dabbing at Jake’s face. “You know what, buddy? There is something you can do.”

“Really?” His eyes brighten with hope.

“Really. You can keep being the amazing kid you are. Keep making your mom smile. Keep painting and being creative. That helps more than you know.”

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Chapter 8 2

Chapter 8-2

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Jake thinks about this, then nods slowly. “Okay. I can do that.” He looks at me. “And Mom? You don’t have to worry about money. I have two hundred thousand followers now. I’m basically famous. I can support you to live a good life.”

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, so I do both. “Jake, baby-”

“I’m serious! People love my paintings and my videos. Some of them even send money! I made thirty-seven dollars last week from my livestream. That’s enough for groceries, right?”

“Oh, sweetheart.” I pull him close again, overwhelmed by his fierce love. “That’s very sweet, but you don’t need to support me. That’s not your responsibility.”

“But I want to help,” he insists stubbornly. “You always help me. Now it’s my turn.”

Sophia catches my eye over Jake’s head, and I can see she’s as moved as I am.

“Tell you what,” I say, pulling back to look at him. “How about we make a deal? You keep being creative and doing what you love, and I’ll handle the grown-up stuff like rent and groceries. But if you want to help, you have to wait until you win an award for your art. Deal?”

He considers this seriously, then nods. “Deal. But I’m still going to make money from my

videos. Just in case.”

“Alright,” I agree, even though the thought of my five-year-old worrying about finances makes me want to hunt Dustin down and commit violence.

That night, after Jake falls asleep in Sophia’s guest room, clutching his dinosaur, I sit in the living room with a glass of wine and finally let myself think about the future.

No job. No home. A divorce and custody battle looming. My entire life has imploded in less than forty-eight hours.

But I also have a best friend who’s offering me a job at her company and a place to stay. A lawyer who’s ready to fight. And a son who just offered me his life savings-all thirty-seven dollars of it.

I’m not alone. That’s something.

“Stop overthinking,” Sophia says, appearing from the kitchen with the wine bottle. She tops off my glass. “I can literally hear your brain spiraling from here.”

“I just keep thinking about what happens next. Where we’re going to live. How I’m going to afford-”

Chapter 8 2

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“You’re going to live here until you find a place. You’re going to start at Phoenix Cosmetics next Monday with a salary that’ll make your Sterling & Co. pay look like pocket change. And you’re going to fight for your son with the best lawyer in the city.” She sits beside me.

“Everything else, we’ll figure out as we go.”

“I can’t keep imposing on you like this.”

“You’re not imposing. You’re family.” She bumps my shoulder with hers. “Besides, having you and Jake here means I actually have a reason to eat something other than takeout food.”

I lean my head on her shoulder, exhaustion finally catching up with me. “Soph, thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Fortunately you’ll never have to find out.”

Early the next morning, I’m drinking coffee with Sophia when my phone buzzes with an sss notification. Against my better judgment, I check it.

It’s from Richard Hill with the subject line: URGENT – MEDIA COVERAGE.

My stomach drops as I open it. There’s a link to a local news website.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF STERLING & CO. ACCUSED OF ABUSE OF POWER

Anonymous employee claims new supervisor terminated long-time staff member in retaliation for personal conflict.

I read the article twice, my heart pounding.

My phone dings again, another text from Richard coming in.

Is this your doing?

“Yes,” I breathe, though now, I wish I hadn’t been so impulsive.

What will Dustin do after he sees the news?

If he decides to come after Jake…

Sophia reads over my shoulder, then starts laughing. Actually laughing. “Oh, this is perfect. This is absolutely perfect.”

“How is this perfect? This is going to make everything worse!”

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