Chapter 8
The divorce was finalized a few months later. It was surprisingly amicable. David didn’t fight me on anything. He signed the papers without reading them, his face etched with a mixture of guilt and resignation. I knew he felt bad about what he had done, but his remorse did little to soothe the ache in my heart.
We agreed on shared custody of Ethan, but I knew, deep down, that he would eventually end up living with David full–time. He had made it abundantly clear where his loyalties lay.
just hoped that one day, when he was older, he would understand. And maybe, just maybe, forgive me.
I threw myself into my work, pouring all my energy into my company. It was my sanctuary, my escape from the pain and heartache. My business was thriving, and I was finally starting to feel like I was getting my life back on track.
One evening, as I was leaving the office, I ran into Lucas.
“Hey,” he said, his face breaking into a smile. “Ready to grab some dinner? My treat. Consider it a thank you for all your hard work.”
I hesitated. I had been so focused on work that I hadn’t really socialized much in the past few months. The thought of sitting across from someone, making small talk, pretending to be normal, felt exhausting.
But Lucas was right. I needed to get out more. I couldn’t hide in my work forever.
“Sure,” I said, forcing a smile. “Dinner sounds great.”
We ended up at a cozy Italian restaurant downtown, a place I used to frequent with David.
As I sat across from Lucas, sipping my wine, listening to him talk about his latest
woodworking project, I felt a flicker of something I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Peace.
He was telling me about his nephew, Liam, who was having trouble in school. Lucas was a devoted uncle, and he clearly doted on his sister’s son.
“He’s a good kid,” he was saying, “Just a little lost right now. His parents…”
He trailed off, his face clouding over.
“What is it?” I asked gently.
“His parents… They died last year. Car accident.”
My heart ached for him. I couldn’t imagine losing the people I loved most in the world so
suddenly, so tragically.
I’m so sorry, Lucas,” I said, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”
“It’s been tough,” he admitted. “Especially for Liam. He was really close to his parents. He’s
living with me now.”
He took a sip of his beer, then looked at me, his eyes filled with sadness. “He asks about them all the time. Wonders if they can see him, if they’re proud of him. It breaks my heart/
“He sounds like a sweet boy,” I said softly.
“He is,” Lucas agreed. “He’s a good kid. Just needs a little extra love and attention right now.”
We finished our meal in comfortable silence, and as Lucas was walking me to my car, I
asked him about Liam.
“How old is he again?”
“He just turned six a few weeks ago.”
Six years old. The same age as Ethan.
The thought of my own son, alone and grieving, his life irrevocably shattered, filled me
with a fresh wave of sadness.
As if reading my mind, Lucas said, “You know, I’ve been meaning to ask you, would you be interested in meeting Liam sometime? Maybe we could all go to the zoo next weekend? Or the aquarium? He loves animals.”
I hesitated. I hadn’t spent any real time with a child since… well, since Ethan. The thought of interacting with another child, especially one who had been through so much, was daunting. But looking at Lucas’s hopeful expression, I couldn’t bring myself to say no.
“Sure,” I said, surprising myself. “I’d love to meet Liam.”
