Chapter 15

Grace

Just tell me what's really going on between you and that animal you're so intent on flaunting in my face.

I sigh down at my phone, watching with an absent, defeated stare as yet another message comes through from Brad, despite the fact that I stopped replying to him days ago.

I saw you with him last week. He's not even human, Gracie. I know you're just doing this to get back at me. You're being immature.

I flop back on the couch, my laptop forgotten on the coffee table. I need to start on a new website soon, and I was trying to do a bit more research on places to live while I still had the time. I honestly don't even know if I want to go back home, start fresh here in Whispering Pines away from Brad's usual stomping grounds, or even try somewhere else entirely. But with the way Brad's been blowing up my phone lately, I can't seem to concentrate on anything at all.

My phone vibrates in my hand again, and I tap it to silent with a glare and throw it across the couch, wincing when it bounces off a pillow and onto the rug on the floor, where I see it silently flashing with yet another message.

I just need a break. I'll get out of the house, reset my brain, and then I'll be able to ignore him better and get on with it. Maybe I'll even start my work ahead of schedule, since apartment-hunting isn't going very well for me.

The doorbell rings, and I leap off the couch with a burst of energy. Distraction. Yes.

That'll be Ella with Lucas. He started going to Gossamer Wings Daycare along with Rylah and Rowan this week, to get him back into a schedule, and we've been taking alternating shifts over who picks the kids up in the afternoons. I open the door, ready to beg my sister to take a quick walk with me at Heartwood Grove, but I come face to face with Rhokar instead.

"Oh, hey Rho," I say, deflating. Damn, I really wanted to vent, and my sister's the best ear I know.

"Don't look so happy to see me," Rhokar gruffs with a half-smile, as he nudges Lucas through the door. "Ella's working late today, so I'm back on pick-up duty."

"Hey, baby," I greet Lucas, as I bend to lay a fat kiss on his cheek.

"Hey, mamma!"

I squish him to my side and eye the orc before me once more. "You wouldn't happen to want to join us for little walk in the park before dinner, would you?"

"Yay! Park!" Lucas races inside to get his park shoes, even as Rho shakes his head.

"Sorry." He shrugs, glancing back at the car. "Ry has that face

on right now that tells me if I don't get dinner in her in the next thirty minutes, you're going to be hearing her wails from here."

I sigh forlornly. "Alright, that's fair."

As Rho heads home I get Lucas and myself ready for the park anyway, figuring I can grab a few groceries on the way home.

"So how come we doin' park times now?" Lucas asks as I park the car and start up a stroll in the wide, grassy expanse before the huge old trees.

"Just a little treat," I say, zipping up his puffer tight. The sky is clear of clouds as the sun slowly sets—night falls early here in late fall—but the breeze has a bite.

"Is it because I drewded such a good dinosaur at daycare today?" He starts jumping in circles around me as I walk, and I smile.

I haven't even seen his drawing, but I nod anyway. "Sure, baby. Did you have fun drawing it?"

"Yeah!" He comes up in front of me and begins walking backwards, his huge blue eyes glued into mine intently as he begins to describe his artwork in detail, throwing his arms around for emphasis and nearly tripping over several times in his enthusiasm. I listen with half an ear, already feeling better just being around my happy little son, and doing my best to clear my thoughts of the negativity they'd been drowning in today from Brad's constant messages.

I've honestly never seen that man so determined about anything before, at least not anything outside of his gaming console. It's only been a few weeks since I left home—and exactly one week to the day since I slept with Oli, although I immediately shove that thought away and refuse to examine it. After our big ‘date' last Friday evening, Oli's ex apparently backed off with the calls and harassment, and for the weekend at least, so did Brad. After he saw us at breakfast, I had a glorious two days of silence. But then Monday hit and it was like he clocked on at work again—if refusing to let me forget about his existence was his job. Liking old photos of us on Facebook, sending me pictures of the three of us looking happy with messages like, ‘I miss us', and, ‘Family never dies,'. But by far the worst, the hardest to ignore, are his constant texts. It's like he knows that no matter how much I avoid him, my curiosity will get the best of me, and I'll end up reading everything he sends just before bed. The only good thing is that ever since Oli came around to mine while Brad barged in on me, my ex has not made any more uninvited stops at my home.

"Mamma, can I run to the trees and back?"

I sigh and plonk myself down on a bench along the path with a nod. "Okay, but stay where I can see you."

"Okay!"

I watch him as he zooms off, and think. The thing about all of Brad's harassment is that I keep reaching for my phone to text Oli about it, even when there isn't anything I need from him. At first, I would complain to him about Brad's actions, and he seemed more than happy to engage me in conversation, until eventually I was messaging him over any old thing. He always texts back quickly and sometimes even calls, especially if it's late and he's finished at work. There were several times this week when he called while I was getting dinner ready, and we talked for hours as we did chores together. He invited me to lunch again on Wednesday, and I'd agreed, but then after we'd hung up, I realized I hadn't even considered that he was asking me for the sake of our fake relationship. I was simply happy to be seeing him, and that… is a problem.

I'd canceled on him in the end, worried I wasn't yet ready to see him. The problem is that my mind is still a muddled mess.

"Mamma, look!" Lucas begins to run around a large tree trunk, and I wave at him encouragingly.

I pull out my phone and call my sister. I figure if she's busy she can simply ignore the call. But she picks up and tells me that she needs a quick break anyway, so I catch her up on my current thoughts.

"Am I overthinking it?" I ask, as Lucas runs back to me, stands with his hands on his knees and huffs for a bit, before zooming back towards the tree line again. "I've never had a one-night stand before. Please, oh wise one, lend me your wisdom."

Ella laughs. "It's not like I've had that many myself!"

"Okay, but you've had some," I say, grinning. "Isn't that how you met Rhokar? One-night-stand-turned-accidental-pregnancy-turned-father-is-your-new-grumpy-boss?"

"Wait, that was so confusing, give me a second to decipher that jumble of words…"

"What if I'm already attaching to Oli after just that one night?" I continue, rolling right over her remark. "I knew I shouldn't have done it, but it was just so…"

"What?" Ella's voice is smug now. "Fun? It was an excellent night that took your mind off your worries, rejuvenated you, and gave you the orgasms that I know

Brad hasn't given you in years, all wrapped up in a no-consequences bundle of prime beef?"

"You can't call him prime beef. It feels weird since he's, you know… kind of bovine." I sigh and rub at my forehead. "Anyway, the point is that I'm worried it wasn't

no-consequences."

"Mamma, I'm gonna run around the trees again, ‘kay?" Lucas shouts as he pauses beside a wide trunk.

"Okay, baby!" I call, turning the receiver away momentarily so I don't burst my sister's eardrums.

"Tell me exactly what's got you stressed," Ella says in her no-nonsense tone of voice. "The fact that you've messaged Oli a few times this week? I thought you two were on friendly, texting terms since you met at my wedding."

"That's true," I mumble, feeling unsure. "But…"

"But, what? Has he spoken inappropriately to you since you set your boundaries?"

"No, but we called and… talked on the phone?"

"You mean, like you're doing with me now?" I don't immediately respond, and when Ella continues talking I can hear the smile in her voice. "If you want my opinion, Gracie, I do think you're overthinking it. You've never done something spontaneous like this before, and I think you may even be feeling guilty for actually doing something for yourself, for once. But you're fine, big sis, I promise. Just enjoy the memory, repeat it as many times as you need knowing that you're not taking advantage of anyone, and just… take the joys of life by the horns, so to speak. You work too hard, and you never play."

I watch Lucas disappear behind the tree again, but several seconds go by and he doesn't reappear.

"You might be right," I mumble, before calling out to Lucas when he doesn't come back around.

"Of course I am, I'm the learned wise one in these matters. Listen, I'll call you later tonight, okay? I'm getting another call from a contractor."

"Alright, bye, baby."

We hang up, and I stand, worried, when Lucas still doesn't show.

"Lucas," I call, "what did mommy say about staying where I can see you?"

He pops his head around, and the clenching in my stomach immediately loosens. "Sorry!" But when he steps out and zooms back towards me, an unfortunate sight follows.

Brad.

I groan, and immediately pull my phone back out to text Oli and let him know. It's so instinctive I don't even think about it. I get an immediate reply.

I'm coming.

Lucas barrels into my legs, and I touch his head. "Ready to go home?"

He doesn't put up a fuss, simply nodding up at me, and I start to text Oli not to come to my rescue, when Brad interrupts before I finish.

"Pookie," he calls out. "Pookie, wait!"

I scowl at him over my shoulder as he jogs to catch up. "Go home, Brad."

"You are my home!"

"God…" I mutter, popping my phone away and bending to swing Lucas into my arms so I can walk faster. I'll text Oli in the car.

"Gracie," Brad cries as he darts in front of me in a flurry. "Please, I miss Lucas. Please."

My footsteps falter, and I let out a long, long sigh. "Do you, Brad? Do you miss him? Or are you just blurting out anything you can think of and running with whatever manipulates me best?"

He gasps, his hand actually fluttering to his chest dramatically as if this was some sort of performance. "I would never—"

"Save it," I snap. "There's no direction this conversation could take that will end with you getting your way. I don't love you anymore. Please, just leave me and my son alone."

He opens his mouth to argue, but Lucas stirs in my arms first, speaking quietly. "Mamma, I thought you said love was forever."

I purse my lips, my heart breaking in sadness and anger both that my poor Lucas has to be dragged into the middle of all this. "It does, baby. But sometimes, you think you love someone when really, they're no good for you. Sometimes people need to part ways, for the good of everyone involved."

"Does that mean that one day, maybe you're not gonna love me anymore? Like if I'm not a good boy?"

My eyes immediately sting with tears, and I hug both my arms tightly around him. "Never," I whisper fiercely. "Mommy will never stop loving you, no matter what happens, ever. I love you more than everything."

"I still love you just like that, too, Pookie," Brad interrupts, and I immediately shoot him a watery glare. "And Lucas. He's like a son to me."

I close my eyes and inhale deeply, letting the sweet scent of my boy calm me as I try to center the sudden overwhelm of emotions hitting me.

"Gracie, please, can't we talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about," I say. ‘Like a son' my ass. For the past few years, I've practically had to beg him to put down his games and spend time with Lucas. "There is no more us."

"But there's still Lucas," Brad replies. "Maybe… Maybe we can just talk about him?"

I kiss Lucas's cheek and gently put him down. "What's there to talk about? It's not as if you suddenly want visitation rights—"

His eyes widen, and he nods enthusiastically and jumps in. "Yes! That's exactly what I want. Let's go and talk about that."

I frown, because my gut doesn't believe he's being genuine, but before I can say anything else he's already grabbed a suddenly stiff Lucas and hauled him up into his arms. Somewhere in the back of my mind, half-formed and quiet, a little voice inside me points out how uncomfortable, uninterested, and unhappy Lucas looks with Brad's arms around him.

And how he acts in the exact opposite way, lighting up like a Christmas tree, whenever Oli comes near.

"There's a diner somewhere around here, come on." Brad excitedly jabbers as he starts walking off quickly with my son in his grip, and my feet follow automatically so I don't lose sight of Lucas. "We can discuss the best way for me to still have easy access to Lukie Pookie, which is only fair, of course, and then…"

I tune him out, frowning heavily as I follow along behind him. How does this keep happening? Having a conversation with Brad is dangerous, because he has this way of somehow convincing me to go along with his wishes, even when it feels wrong.

I straighten my back and steel my expression as I follow along. Had. He had a way of manipulating, charming, and convincing me into doing whatever he wanted. He will not have that way with me anymore, not now that I see him for what he really is. I'll let him say his piece one last time, on the off chance that I've misjudged him, and he really doesn't want to lose touch with Lucas. I'm not cruel, and I wouldn't want to do that to anyone who has a connection with a child.

But if it turns out he's just making another play, that he's only looking for a foot in the door, so he has room to wriggle further and further under my skin as time goes on—then that'll be the last he'll ever see of the kind, considerate Grace.

This is the final straw.