Chapter 9
Sam - Afternoon - Five Days After Chloe’s Birthday
Emma’s fourth birthday party. Her gift was wrapped and sitting in my truck – a toy veterinary kit we’d found online, complete with stuffed animals and a little stethoscope, because Emma had declared she wanted to be “an animal doctor like Dr. Chloe” when she grew up.
This morning had been the paternity test. Quick cheek swabs at the medical clinic, paperwork, and payment for rush processing. Twenty-four hours and I’d have the official results. Legal confirmation.
But I wasn’t waiting for results. As soon as this party was over, I was going to talk to Chloe. Tell her everything. No more delays, no more excuses. Arthur was right – every hour I waited made it worse.
Chloe had texted earlier that she was running errands and would meet me here.
As I pulled up to Jack and Harper’s house – the same house where Jack had nearly destroyed his family four years ago, the same house where they’d slowly rebuilt trust and love and partnership – all I could think about was how badly I was screwing up my own relationship while supposedly learning from their mistakes.
The irony wasn’t lost on me.
Kids were already running around the front yard when I arrived, balloons tied to the mailbox, the sound of laughter and chaos that came with a dozen three and four-year-olds hopped up on anticipation of cake.
Jack was in the driveway setting up what looked like a bounce house, and Harper was directing from the front porch.
They looked happy. Solid.
Everything I wanted with Chloe, if I could just figure out how to tell her the truth without losing her.
“Uncle Sam!” Emma’s shriek cut through my thoughts as she came barreling across the lawn, all blonde curls, pink sparkly princess dress, and four-year-old enthusiasm. “You came! You came to my birthday!”
I scooped her up. “Of course I came, princess. I wouldn’t miss your birthday for anything.”
“Did you bring me a present?” Her eyes sparkled with hope.
“Emma Rose Henderson,” Harper called from the porch. “What did we say about asking for presents?”
“That it’s not polite,” Emma recited dutifully, then whispered to me, “But did you?”
I laughed despite everything. “Maybe. But you’ll have to wait until present time to find out.”
I set Emma down, and she immediately ran off to rejoin her friends, leaving me standing in the driveway with Jack, who’d abandoned the bounce house to come greet me.
“You made it,” Jack said, pulling me into a brief hug. “I thought you might bail.”
“Never. Nothing would keep me away from Emma’s birthday.” I’d been there when she was born, had cut the cord while Jack was off playing nursemaid with his ex-girlfriend. The less said about the viper years, the better. That little girl had me wrapped around her finger from day one.
“Fair point,” Jack said with a knowing smile. Then his expression shifted as he studied my face. “But something’s going on with you. Come help me with this bounce house and tell me what’s really going on.”
“Jack, I’m fine—”
“Sam.” He gripped my shoulder. “I’ve known you since we were kids. You’re not fine. Harper saw Chloe at the grocery store this morning and said she seemed off. So either tell me what’s going on, or we’ll assume the worst and will show up at your house tomorrow for an intervention.”
I looked at my best friend – the man who’d made catastrophic mistakes and somehow found his way back to his family – and felt the weight of my own secrets pressing down.
“I need to talk to Chloe first,” I said quietly. “Tonight. But yeah, I’ll tell you everything after.”
Jack studied my face for a long moment, then nodded. “Okay. But Sam, whatever it is, trying to handle it alone is probably making it worse. Trust me on that one.”
I spent the next few hours pretending everything was fine.
The party was controlled chaos – a dozen preschoolers, their parents, and an elaborate princess theme that Harper had somehow pulled together.
I helped set up games, handed out juice boxes, and tried to act like I wasn’t slowly dying inside while watching Jack and Harper navigate parenthood with the easy partnership I’d been dreaming about having with Chloe.
“Uncle Sam, watch!” Emma called from the top of the slide. “I’m super high!”
“Be careful, princess!” I called back.
“You know you’re her favorite person besides us, right?” Harper said, appearing at my elbow with a cup of lemonade. “She asks about you constantly.”
“Of course, I’m her favorite uncle!”
Harper smiled. “Where’s Chloe? I thought she’d be here by now.”
I glanced at my phone. No new texts. “Running late.” It wasn’t unusual. Chloe was a terrible timekeeper.
“Sam.” Harper’s voice softened. “Everything okay?”
“We’re fine—”
“Don’t.” She shook her head. “Don’t do what Jack did. Don’t shut people out. I lived through that, and I’m telling you right now that it will destroy your relationship faster than whatever problem you’re trying to solve. You know this, too.”
Before I could respond, Jack called everyone to gather for cake, and Harper moved toward the kitchen, but not before giving me a look that said we’ll talk about this later.
Watching Emma blow out her candles, I thought about Leo’s fourth birthday back in February. Had there been cake, presents, and people singing? What presents had he received? What did he wish for when he blew out his candles? I’d missed so much of his life.
“Make a wish, princess!” Jack encouraged, and Emma squeezed her eyes shut dramatically before blowing out all four candles in one breath.
Everyone cheered. Emma beamed. And I felt like the worst person in the world for being here celebrating while my own son existed in limbo.
My phone buzzed. Jenna: Leo wants to go to the park. Can you come?
I silenced it without responding.
Present time was predictably chaotic. Emma tore through wrapped packages with glee, exclaiming over each one like it was exactly what she’d always wanted. The veterinary kit we’d brought got a particularly enthusiastic response.
“Look, Mama! I’m Dr. Chloe!” Emma held up the toy stethoscope, listening to her stuffed elephant’s heart. “He needs medicine!”
“That’s perfect, baby,” Harper said, but she shot me a questioning look. Where is Chloe?
I pulled out my phone to check the time and saw two texts from Chloe that must have come through while Emma was surrounded by torn wrapping paper, shrieking with joy at each new gift.
Emergency call at Jenkins farm. Might miss Emma’s party. I’ll be back as soon as I can.
Then a second text: Tonight, when I get home, let’s finally have that conversation.
My stomach clenched. This was it. She was ready to have the conversation I’d been trying to start for days. No more delays, no more excuses. Tonight I’d finally tell her everything.
Time to man up, Mitchell.
Harper’s phone buzzed, and she checked it, then laughed softly. “Chloe just texted me. Farm emergency at the Jenkins place — another alpaca in trouble.” She shook her head with affection. “Of course, it’s alpacas. You know how much she loves those ridiculous creatures.”
I managed a small smile despite my nerves. “She does light up around them. She’ll be devastated to have missed Emma opening her gift.”
Harper’s expression grew more serious as she glanced at my face. “You two have plans to talk tonight?”
“Yeah,” I said quietly.
By the time the last parents had collected their sugar-high toddlers, my phone rang. Chloe’s name flashed on the screen. “Hey,” I answered, stepping away for some privacy.
“Sam.” Her voice sounded exhausted but warm. “This is turning into a real emergency. Daisy’s having complications, and Mrs. Jenkins is beside herself. I can’t leave, not until I know both mama and baby are okay.”
“I understand.”
“And you know what the roads to the Jenkins farm are like — all those narrow curves, no streetlights. I’m not risking driving home in the dark.” She paused, and I could hear her taking a breath. “Sam, I know about Leo and Jenna.”
My heart stopped. “You… you know?”
“I saw you. At the medical clinic parking lot. I saw you with them.” Her voice was steady, controlled. “She introduced herself to me. After you left.” A pause. “And I know about the money you’ve been spending. The cash withdrawal, the charges in Millfield.”
“Chloe, I’m so sorry—”
“No,” she interrupted, her voice firm. “This isn’t a conversation to have over the phone.
I know you’ve been trying to talk to me, and I’ve been putting it off because I was exhausted and dealing with that awful—” She stopped herself.
“Tonight was supposed to be when we cleared the air, but now there is an alpaca mama that needs me, so—”
“Chloe, I’m sorry, I should have—”
“Sam.” She cut me off again. “I really don’t want to go into details right now because I need to focus on making sure this baby and her mama are okay.
But I do want you to know that I’m angry you didn’t just talk to me.
I’m angry you’ve been keeping secrets. But I also know you’ve tried to talk to me.
” She paused. “Let’s both take the afternoon off tomorrow.
Switch off our phones and just talk, no interruptions.
I want to hear what you have to say. I want you to know how much you’ve hurt me.
Don’t think it’s going to be all roses because I am upset with you.
I’m just compartmentalizing — alpacas first, then you. ”
My breath caught, my heart racing. I could hear the hurt in her voice, the anger, but also the determination. A little part of me was also laughing about the fact that I’d been put squarely in my place - alpacas first, me second. “Tomorrow,” I managed. “Afternoon. I’ll tell you everything.”
“Good.” She took a shaky breath. “Now I really need to go. It’s baby alpaca time, and Mrs. Jenkins needs me focused.”
Despite everything, I laughed — actually laughed. “You and those ridiculous creatures.”
“They’re not ridiculous. They’re majestic.” She paused. “I love you, Sam.”
“I love you too.”