Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 157032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Jenna is in her room crying. We’ve both been distraught all day.
She can’t even face Owen.
I need to be the bigger person and not let my son be scared by what’s happening.
He’s only a baby.
“Where’s my cap?” Owen asks.
“I already put it into your suitcase,” I whisper. I take his favorite ten books and put them into the suitcase on top of his clothes.
“Will you come and get me tomorrow?” Owen asks. “I don’t think I want to sleep there, either. Can you sleep over, too?”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “No, baby. Mommy can’t come.”
He thinks for a moment. “But where will I sleep.”
Tears fill my eyes. “You will sleep with Daddy.”
“But he might not let me sleep with him.” He frowns, concerned.
“He will.” I smile. “He told me that it’s okay,” I assure him as I keep packing.
Owen frowns. “I’m not going to go. I want to stay here with you.”
“You need to go, baby. It’s going to be so much fun,” I whisper.
I see the black Audi pull up and I wince as I try to hide my emotions.
Oh my God. I can’t do this.
I close my eyes as I try to gain the strength that I need to get through this. I want to scream and fight and cry and beg him not to take him, but I know that’s only going to upset Owen. I can’t do that to my little man.
Cameron sits in the car and I slowly seal the suitcase shut. “Dad’s here,” I whisper.
Owen jumps off the bed and peers out the window, smiling brightly.
“Dad!” he calls, and he takes off out of the bedroom, runs downstairs, out the front and up to the car. Cameron gets out and picks Owen up to hold him in his arms.
I watch from the upstairs window as the tears stream down my face.
Cameron glances up and sees me. His face falls and he drops his head to kiss Owen’s temple.
I wheel the suitcase downstairs and out onto the porch. I can’t help it now. The tears won’t stop.
Owen runs up to me, and his face falls when he sees my distress. “What’s wrong, Momma?” He frowns.
“I’m just going to miss you, baby.” I smile as I bend and take him in my arms.
I hold him tight to my chest as I scrunch up my face from the pain. Cameron watches on in silence.
I fake a smile. “You be a good boy for daddy.” I straighten his shirt and his pants.
I turn to Cameron. “He needs to sleep with you… In your bed,” I whisper. “He gets scared on his own.”
Cameron’s haunted eyes hold mine.
“Promise me he can sleep with you,” I push out through my tears.
Cameron nods. “I promise,” he whispers.
I squeeze Owen and hold him tight until, finally, I know I have to let him go.
“Go with Daddy, baby,” I whisper.
I grab him once more. This is unbearable.
Cameron takes the suitcase from me and I bite my bottom lip to stop myself from sobbing loudly. He takes Owen’s hand and leads him out to the car.
I watch on as my heart hurts and the tears run down my face.
He opens the car and lifts Owen into the seat and straps him in. I feel like I’ve just been shot. I start to cry, hard and uncontrolled, and I know I need to get inside before Owen sees me. I stagger back and make it through the door only to fall into the fetal position on the sofa where I let myself sob.
No, no, no. This can’t be happening. He took him.
He took my baby.
I cry out as the pain becomes unbearable. “No,” I cry as I shake my head violently. “No, no, no.”
I feel Jenna’s hands on my shaking shoulders. “It’s okay, Ash. It’s going to be okay, baby. We’ll get him back. I promise you, we will get him back.”
The screen door bangs and we both look up to see Cameron standing in the foyer.
“Change of plans,” he whispers through haunted eyes. “Owen will stay here now. I’ll come and get him at the weekend.”
My face falls.
Cameron clenches his hands at his sides, unsure what to say next. Without further word, he turns and leaves, just as Owen comes in the front door.
I stare at Owen for a moment, completely in shock. What just happened?
I smile awkwardly through my tears. “Baby, you’re back already?” I run and scoop him up into my arms and sob with relief.
Thank heavens.
25
They say that time heals all wounds.
They lied.
It’s been six weeks since Cameron tried to take my son from me.
It’s been six weeks since I lost all faith in humanity.
I resigned from my internship, and Dr. Jameson stepped in and offered me a placement with him. He knows the full, sordid story.
I hardly see Cameron at work now. We are civil and share custody with Owen. Cameron dropped the court proceedings, but I still have to attend drug counselling once a week from the court orders.