I looked down at Ava, her tiny face so trusting, and felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.
“I… I need time, Tom,” I finally whispered.
“I need time to figure this out.”
Later I called Eric.
“I just need some time, Eric,” I said, trying to hold back the tears. “I need to figure things out.”
As I hung up the phone, I realized that nothing was simple anymore.
***
The days after our meeting at the café felt like a whirlwind. I spent more and more time with Ava, trying to see if I could truly consider Tom’s proposal.
She was such a sweet child.
We played games in the park, and baked cookies in Tom’s kitchen, and every moment spent with her tugged at my heart.
Could this really work? Could I be the mother she needs?
One afternoon, while Ava and I were drawing together, she looked up at me with those big, innocent eyes.
“Are you going to be my new mommy?”
The question caught me off guard.
“I’m not sure yet, sweetie. We’re just spending time together right now.”
“I like being with you,” she said sincerely.
My heart ached at her words.
I like being with you too.
I thought that, but didn’t say it out loud.
Instead, I just smiled at her and handed her a new crayon.
But despite these moments of connection, there was something that gnawed at me. Tom was too eager, too desperate for me to agree to this arrangement.
One evening, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Tom had gone out to run some errands, and the house was eerily quiet.
Ava was asleep on the couch and I was left alone with my thoughts.
What is he not telling me?
Why is he pushing this so hard?
The questions swirled in my mind, refusing to let me rest. Before I knew it, I found myself standing outside Tom’s office door.
I hesitated, my hand resting on the doorknob.
“What am I doing?” I whispered to myself.
I needed answers. My eyes scanned the room, searching for… what?
I didn’t even know.
Then, I saw a drawer slightly ajar in his desk. Without thinking, I pulled it open.
There it was, in black and white—an inheritance tied to Ava’s guardianship that could only be fully secured if Tom had a partner!
This isn’t about giving Ava a mother. It’s about money!
When Tom came home later, I was waiting for him in the living room.
The documents were spread out on the coffee table, clear evidence of what he’d been hiding.
“Tom,” I called out as he walked in. “What’s this? Were you ever going to tell me the truth?”
His face went pale.
“Linda, it’s not what you think…”
“You know what I think?” I cut him off, my voice rising.
“These papers say it all, Tom.
You were using me to secure Ava’s inheritance, weren’t you?”
He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. The look of guilt in his eyes was all the answer I needed.
The room fell silent. I felt the tears welling up, but I refused to let them fall.
I had to get out of there.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Eric’s number, but it went straight to voicemail. Panic started to creep in.
What if I’ve lost him too? What if this mess with Tom has ruined everything?
As I stood there, the phone pressed to my ear, I realized just how much Eric meant to me.
He was the person who made me believe in love again.
“Eric, please call me back,” I whispered into the phone. “I need to talk to you… I’m so sorry.”
Hanging up, one thing became clear: I needed to fight for what truly mattered, and that was Eric.
***
As the taxi sped through the city, the memory of saying goodbye to Ava replayed in my mind. Her tiny hand was clutching her dress, her confused eyes searching mine.
“I have to go, sweetie,” I whispered, fighting back tears.
“But remember, you’ll always be special to me.”
Leaving her felt like tearing my heart in two, but staying could drag me back into the darkness I’d fought so hard to escape.
As the taxi sped through the rain-soaked streets, I frantically sent Eric dozens of texts.
I’m coming.
I’m so sorry. I was so foolish. Please, let me explain.
When the taxi finally turned the corner to his street, I saw him.
Eric was standing in the pouring rain, a bouquet of white roses in his hand—the kind I loved.
He was soaked through, yet there he was, waiting like he always had.
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Source: amomama
