Chapter 2
RAELYN
“It’s after six.”
“I’m well aware.”
“He was supposed to be done at five-thirty.”
“I’m aware of that, too.”
Thomas’s soccer practice was running long yet again. It was the third time this week. He was twelve years old, in middle school, and while the coach rarely put him in, he never missed a game or a practice. And Lucas and I were his chauffeurs.
I leaned back in my seat and crossed my arms, trying to pretend that I wasn’t as annoyed as I was. It would only add to the fire Lucas was brewing next to me. My youngest was too much like me for his own good.
He had my brown hair, brown eyes, and crooked smile. He also had my height. He was barely nine and already five feet tall, and he also had my lack of patience. Add in the fact that we were tired and hungry, and there was a full meltdown on the horizon.
Lucas slumped down in his seat as he groaned, “How much longer?”
“I have no idea.”
“I’m hungry.”
“I know you are, and I’m sure Thomas is, too. It shouldn’t be much longer. Looks like they are almost done running their drills.”
“Drills are stupid,” he complained. “Wish Dad was here, so he could pick him up like he used to. Then, we wouldn’t have to wait here forever. So, stupid.”
That one hit hard.
I’d tried hard to manage the boys without their father’s help.
Sometimes, I made it just fine. Others, like tonight, I struggled.
I hated that I couldn’t do more. I hated that I wasn’t enough on my own, but I did my best not to let it show.
I just swallowed hard and answered, “Well, he’s been pretty busy at work these days, and he can’t manage like he used to. ”
“Busy with CeeCee,” Lucas grumbled under his breath. “It’s only gonna get worse when she has the baby.”
“Baby?” I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. Thinking I might’ve misheard him, I asked, “CeeCee’s pregnant?”
“Yeah.” Lucas continued to stare out the window, trying to hide the hurt, but I could hear it in his voice when he said, “Dad told us the last time he called.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“I thought he did.”
“No, he kept that tidbit to himself.”
And just like that, I was thinking back to the days when Cee and I were inseparable. We were both happy and loved our families more than anything, and then, just over two years ago, she and Dan destroyed every facet of our lives. It made me sick to even think about it.
Dan and I met in college at my spring sorority social.
He was tall and handsome with this goofy grin that tugged at my heart.
He asked me to dance, and that’s all it took.
We fell fast and hard, and as soon as we graduated, we tied the knot, moved into a new apartment, and started our new life together.
I got a job as a librarian at the local elementary school, and I couldn’t have been more excited.
I’d spent weeks getting the library organized and decorated.
I was so proud of it and couldn’t wait for the kids to see it.
And just as I’d hoped, everyone raved about all the work I’d put in, and the kids loved it.
And then, in the second week of school, disaster struck. One of CeeCee’s second graders managed to topple three bookshelves, sending thousands of books falling like dominoes.
While half of the teachers avoided eye contact and pretended not to notice the disaster, CeeCee rushed over and dropped to her knees beside me, muttering curses under her breath that didn’t belong anywhere near an elementary school.
That was CeeCee.
She was this young, beautiful, spitfire redhead with a temper that could catch fire and a mouth that would’ve made a sailor blush. And while we were polar opposites, we clicked, like two puzzle pieces that shouldn’t go together but did.
Years passed, and we built a whole damn life together. She became my person. My sounding board. My ride or die. We raised our babies, went on girls’ nights, and brought food to each other when one of the kids was sick. We shared holidays and yard parties, and playdates with the kids.
We did it all.
And even when times got hard, our friendship didn’t fade.
If anything, it grew stronger. She was the one I called whenever I got upset over something at work or had an argument with Dan.
She was the one who brought me coffee the morning after Thomas fell and busted his chin open, nearly scaring the life out of me.
She knew everything about me.
And then, one afternoon, one simple, stupid afternoon, everything fell apart.
I was washing dishes when I noticed Dan’s phone light up. I glanced over and noticed it was a message from CeeCee. There was something about it that made my stomach turn. Thinking I must’ve read it wrong, I dried my hands and picked up the phone.
The second I clicked on the message, my whole world crumbled at my feet. There were so many of them. It was one message after the next, and they made it clear that my husband, the love of my life, and my dearest friend were having an affair. I didn’t want to believe it, but there was no denying it.
It was right there in black and white.
My entire world imploded in the span of seconds. Everything I thought I knew was a lie. And now, I’d learned that they hadn’t just moved on without me, but they were starting a family of their own.
Lucas looked over at me with those big, worried eyes, and I knew falling apart wasn’t an option. So, I exhaled and said, “This is the first I’ve heard about it, but that’s great for them.”
“You aren’t mad?”
I slipped my arm behind him and leaned in as I pulled him close. “No, sweetie. I’m not mad. Just a little surprised.”
“It’s not fair.”
“No, but it’s okay. We’re making it just fine, and that’s all that matters.”
I kissed him on the forehead before releasing him and settling back in my seat.
I glanced over at the field just in time to catch Thomas breaking away from his huddle.
He had his helmet tucked under his arm, his blond hair wet with sweat and a big grin on his face.
It was moments like this that he looked identical to his father.
So much so, it brought a tightness to my chest.
“Here he comes.” I reached over and brushed the hair from Lucas’s eyes. “How about we hit the drive-through on the way home tonight, and I’ll cook tomorrow.”
“Can we do chicken strips?”
“We can do whatever you want. Your choice.”
“Thomas isn’t gonna like that.”
“Well, he can choose another night.” When Thomas got closer, I rolled my window down and told him, “Throw your stuff in the back.”
He gave me a nod, then made his way to the back of the Tahoe. Once I’d popped the trunk, he tossed in his helmet and pads, along with his bag and shoes. He slammed the door shut, then walked around to the passenger side of the car like he owned it.
He opened the door and stood there, hovering over Lucas with that look big brothers give when they want something. When Lucas didn’t budge, Thomas ordered, “Get in the back.”
“I was here first.”
“I don’t care. It’s my turn. Now, move it.”
“Suck it.”
Before I could intervene, Thomas reached inside and grabbed a fistful of his brother’s shirt, pulling him out like a sack of potatoes. Lucas immediately started fighting back, and that’s when I yelled, “Woah! Knock it off right this second!”
I was louder than I intended, but it did the trick. Both boys froze, and Thomas released his hold on Lucas. Thomas looked like I’d betrayed him in some way when I said, “Get in the back.”
“That’s not fair,” Thomas complained. “It’s my turn to be up front.”
“We’ve been waiting for you for over forty-five minutes. The least you can do is sit in the back.”
Thomas groaned, rolling his eyes so hard I thought they might stick as he grumbled, “You always take his side.”
I didn’t respond.
I just sat and waited as he slammed his brother’s door, stomped to the back, yanked it open, and flopped into the seat with a huff.
As soon as he clicked on his seatbelt, I threw it into drive and started out of the parking lot.
I gave it a few minutes, then told him, “We’re picking up some fried chicken on the way home. ”
“I thought you were making sloppy joes.”
“I was, but now, we’re getting some chicken.”
His scowl softened as he asked, “From Canes?”
“If that’s okay with you.”
“Yeah, Canes would be awesome right about now.”
“Good deal. Be thinking about what you might want.”
I glanced over at Lucas, and his smile was almost as big as his brother’s. And for a moment, just a moment, it felt like we might actually survive the night. I considered that a win.