Page 71 of The Wedding Planner's Manny
What?
“Another job?” My stomach clenched as I spoke.
Laura abandoned the pan and turned to me. “Oh, honey, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said it so casually like that. I'm really grateful for all you've done here in my absence, but I'm not sure we'll be needing a manny going forward.”
“Oh.” I wanted to say more, but I didn't get another sound out. How could I, when just breathing was so hard? It was as if someone had cut off air supply to my lungs.
Of course Ethan didn't need a manny anymore when his wife could look after their children. That was the preferable option, wasn't it? I should be happy for them—this would be so much better for the children.
God, I was going to miss the children. I'd kind of gotten used to Caleb's sleepy good morning kisses.
Speaking of...
I glanced at the clock that hung above the door.
Any time now, Caleb would stumble into the kitchen and demand his bowl of Lucky Charms.
“Caleb doesn't like pancakes for breakfast,” I muttered, the words falling from my lips before I could think to hold them back.
“Of course he likes pancakes for breakfast, silly. Everyone likes pancakes for breakfast.” Laura tutted at me and put the pan on the burner. I only watched her, mind blank. I thought that I should leave, but I couldn't get myself to move. This whole morning—everything since yesterday afternoon—felt like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.
After another minute, just as I'd predicted, Caleb came down the stairs and into the kitchen. Blond hair tousled and rubbing sleep from his eyes, he looked first at me and then at his mommy. His features lit up as he did, as if he'd thought yesterday's events might have been a dream too. “Mommy!”
he exclaimed, running over to her to hug her.
“Good morning, sweetie,” she replied, stroking his hair. “I'm making pancakes for breakfast. You like pancakes, don't you?”
Caleb nodded frantically.
That little traitor. He would never eat anything but Lucky Charms for breakfast when I was the one making it.
But then, I wasn't his mommy. I wasn't really anything to him. Just the person who was supposed to help him get over the fact that his mommy had left him.
Which meant I had outlived my usefulness around here.
Caleb was chattering at his Mommy now, telling her all about his favorite movie he wanted her to watch with him later. She laughed and nodded, and I...
I quietly removed myself from the scene.
2 5
E T H A N
The morning after Caleb's catastrophic birthday party, I woke up to the smell of coffee and pancakes. Ordinarily, this would have been a welcome experience, but the smell of food in the air only pleased me until I opened my eyes and got a good look at the person serving me breakfast. My wife.
It might as well have been the devil himself.
“What are you doing?” I grumped.
“Thanking you for letting me stay here?” she tried, giving me one of her sweetest smiles. It was too bad for her that I'd started seeing through those years ago. She was never sweet unless she wanted something.
I sat up and rubbed my face. “Tell me why you're really bringing me breakfast.”
“To remind you how nice it is to have a wife, I guess.” She set the tray with coffee and pancakes down on the side of the bed.
“You're not going to change my mind about the divorce. Not even by bringing me breakfast. Actually, you're kind of the last thing I want to see first thing in the morning.”
Who I did want to see?
