Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
The video showed Chad walking to his car with his overnight bag, and Ester talking:
“Babe, where are you going?”
“To a funeral.”
“Whose?”
Chad shook his head as he stared at Devorah. “Turn it off.”
“No, I want you to watch and tell me why in the hell you think I should go back there and subject myself to this. Subject our daughter to this?”
“My former pain-in-the-ass father-in-law.” Chad’s voice rang out.
“Sounds like a waste of time.”
“Thank God I can’t see you kissing her. The sound effects are enough,” Dev said as she continued to hold her phone out and glare at Chad.
“Hurry back. My kitty will miss you.”
The video went blank and restarted.
“Two days ago, Chad. And here you sit, telling me how you made a mistake and want to be a family.”
“Devorah . . .”
“Are you still sleeping with her? Living with her?”
Chad’s silence was deafening.
“You disgust me, Chad. My life with you has been nothing but a lie.” She shook her head. “I want you to sign the papers and leave. Maren stays here. I will fight you with everything I have, and believe me, it’s a lot more than you’ve given me credit for.”
“You’re making a mistake.”
“Oh well. At least it’ll be my mistake. One I can live with and won’t be judged for.”
Chad went to his bag and pulled out the papers. He handed them to Dev.
“You already signed them?”
He nodded. “I had to try.”
“And you failed,” she told him.
He went upstairs to Maren’s room to get his things. While he was up there, Devorah went to the back door. She opened it and found Maren still on the swing and Cordelia lying on the ground, watching her every move.
“Are you done having adult conversations?”
Dev nodded. “I am. I don’t plan to have another one for a very long time.”
“Phew,” Maren said as she came toward the house. “Maybe I don’t want to have them when I’m older. They take forever.”
Dev held out her hand for her daughter and pulled her in for a hug. “Never grow up,” she told Maren. “It’s a trap.”
Inside, Maren saw Chad’s bag by the door. “Are we leaving?”
“No, just your dad.”
“What? No. He said we were going back to Chicago.” Maren ran up the stairs, yelling for her father. She returned, moments later, with her backpack. “Where is he?”
“I’m right here, Maren. What are you doing?”
“I’m going with you. Last night you said you were taking us home, that we belonged in Chicago.”
Chad looked up at Dev, who turned away. Would he tell her he was still with Ester?
“Look, sunshine. You’ll come back to Chicago soon. Once I get settled.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means Daddy’s going through some stuff right now.”
“With Ester? Are you living with her? I don’t want to live with her, Daddy.” Maren tugged on Chad’s shirt. “Please. You promised. You said we were going to be a family. You, me, and Mommy. You said.”
“I never said your mommy, princess. Me, you, Ester, and Rita.”
Devorah saw the realization in Maren’s face as she stepped back from her father. Her head shook slowly. “I hate you. I hate you,” she said as she hit him with her fist. “I hate Ester and Rita and you. I hate you so much.” She screamed the last one at him with tears streaming down her face. “You’re a liar and I hate you.”
Chad looked at Devorah. “A little help?”
She shook her head. “No. I’m not your savior, Chad. You did this. You broke her, but I’ll sure as hell fix her and give her the unconditional love she deserves without lying to her.”
Chad said nothing. He picked up his bag and headed out the door.
Maren stood in the hallway with her backpack on, sobbing. Divorce was hard on kids, only made worse when one of the parents had chosen a new family.
Twenty-Six
Hayden
Going to Crow’s meant Hayden had something to lose.
When Sofia passed away, Hayden had gone through the “I’m never going to love again” stage. Mostly, he meant it. He didn’t want Conor to get hurt. Hayden didn’t care about his own well-being, only his son’s. He could easily live the next ten years without dating or being in a relationship.
That was, until he ran into Devorah.
She was the shift for him. The light at the end of a never-ending tunnel of blackness. Even when she had her darkest days, his were bright because of her. Without even knowing it, she had given him hope. Devy gave him something to look forward to each day.
She was also a challenge.
Hayden knew she wasn’t ready for any type of relationship, at least not the type he’d want. He’d already had his time to mourn the loss of his wife and had come to terms with his future as a single dad. Her wounds were fresh and still bleeding. Coupled with the anxiety of knowing that everyone knew about everyone else’s business, Devy needed time to heal.