Page 9

Andrew raised his arms in the air, pinning me with dark brown eyes that said,what am I? Chopped liver?

“And my big kids.”

He nodded, seeming satisfied, but Cora said, “And princesses.”

I giggled. “Always time for my princess.”

We finished the pizza, and I went about getting the kids ready for bed. It was nice having Mom around to help supervise the boys working on their homework while I made sure Cora brushed her teeth well and got her tucked in to bed.

She looked so sweet under the covers, even though she’d kick me throughout the night. Sometimes I thought about taking the couch so I’d get a good night’s sleep, but Dad always woke up at four in the morning to go open the coffee shop, so that wasn’t exactly a great option either.

Andrew was next to go to bed. We read a chapter of his favorite book,Investigators, and then I kissed his forehead. He promptly wiped it off and said, “We talked to Dad earlier.”

I felt like I’d been hit with a bomb. “What?” I glanced at Levi coming into the room. He wouldn’t have had time to call Caleb and let Andrew talk. “When?”

Andrew said, “After school. Grandma called him for me.”

“She did,” I said, trying not to feel betrayed. Andrew had every right to talk to his dad. “Did you have a good talk?”

Andrew shrugged. “I told him about the art contest at school.”

“Good,” I replied. “What did he say?”

“He said he’d ask you to send him a picture of my painting.”

I nodded. Caleb hardly talked to me at all these days, and he definitely hadn’t texted me today. I had this worried feeling in my gut like he was going to let the kids down even more than he already had by breaking up our marriage. He’d already missed his first chance for a weekend visit with them.

Andrew rolled over, tugging his weighted blanket up around his shoulders. “Night, Mom.”

“Goodnight,” I said. I walked to Levi’s side of the room, sitting on the corner of his bed while he got his backpack ready for the next day. “Your phone’s on the counter, right?”

“Unfortunately,” he muttered.

Ignoring his grumpy teenage tone, I said, “Love you. Goodnight.”

“Night,” he mumbled.

I tried to ignore that upset feeling in my stomach as I walked to my room and brushed my teeth. Levi was mad—mad about the divorce, mad about moving, about leaving his friends. I just wish he didn’t have to throw up so many walls. I was alone too, away from all the mom friends I had in Austin. None of whom checked on me after the divorce. I didn’t even have the comfortable house I’d poured all my heart into making a home. But I hoped he’d come around eventually. I wanted my son back.

I finished washing my face and moisturizing and took my laptop to the table so I wouldn’t wake up Cora. I opened it up, beginning to sketch out a general plan for the hotel. I would start with the bathrooms. Despite being framed and drywalled, they still needed fixtures, tile, and vanities, and that would take a while to work with the needed contractors.

I was so focused on my work, I almost didn’t notice Mom sitting across the table with two steaming mugs of tea. She passed one to me, then held the string extending from her own cup, dipping the teabag in the water. The scent of cinnamon apple hit my nose.

“I talked to Caleb today,” she said. “Drew asked me to call him.”

I nodded. “He told me.”

Mom didn’t look up at me as she took a sip. “Drew misses Caleb so much, and Levi seems so angry at you. I wish you’d tell them what Caleb did. You don’t deserve to take the fall for his actions. Especially when it comes to the kids.”

Here we go.I knew my mom cared for me, but she’d been married to Dad for thirty-eight years. She didn’t know what infidelity or divorce felt like. “I know Caleb doesn’t deserve my protection, but my kids deserve to love their dad, even if he couldn’t love me the right way.”

She shook her head, taking a sip of her tea. “Well then, I’ll be mad at him enough for all the kids. A marriage, afamily, is meant to be forever. For better or worse.”

I finally met her eyes. They looked so much like my own, but it was her heart I’d really inherited. Mom cared about everything so deeply and could never hide her feelings or her opinions. “I love that you’re on my side, Mom, but I’m tired of being mad, of being hurt, so can you just be happy for me? I got anamazingjob. I’m making more than Caleb is! I finally don’t have to lie down next to a man who’s been with another woman. Life is...” I couldn’t say good. Not yet, but I could say this. “It’s better.”

Mom lifted a corner of her lips. “I am happy for you.”

“Mommy?” came Andrew’s wavering voice. His chin wobbled to match. I glanced at my clock—it was only eleven, and the nightmares had already started. At least a couple times a week, he needed me at night to help him get back to sleep.