Chapter 19
Zack’s sob cut through the air, his small body shaking with heavy emotions.
Sylvia’s heart twisted, like it had been hit hard. She looked down at the boy, his face soaked with tears, and pressed her lips tight, trying to hold back har own feelings.
“Zack, what’s going on? Don’t hold Syha up–she needs to get homer someone yelled as she rushed out of the school building.
Joanna, just out of Zack’s parent–teacher meeting, saw the scene and hurried over. She pulled Zack into her arms, her voice sharp with worry.
“Joanna, that horrible woman… She said she doesn’t want mel” Zack replied.
He buried his face in Joanna’s arms, crying harder, his words broken by hiccups as he let out his pain.
“She doesn’t want you, but I do,” Joanna said gently, wiping his tears with a soft hand. “Zack, your mom has a new family now, with her own daughter. Let’s leave her alone, okay?”
Zack’s body wont stiff, his wide eyes locking on Sylvia, shock and hurt stabbing his chest like a blade.
“You awful woman–is Joanna telling the truth?” he choked out, his voice thick with pain and disbelief.
Sylvia had felt a bit of sympathy for Zack moments ago, but seeing him buy into Joanna’s words, just like when he was younger, disappointment settled in her eyes.
“Zack, listen. We’ve had nothing to do with each other for three years, Sylvia said, taking a deep breath, her voice cold. “Yes, I have a daughter. She’s my only child.”
Zack stood frozen, staring at the distant woman in front of him.
She used to swear she loved only him, fussing over his every mood, worrying if he even frowned.
Now, she had another kid and called her the only one.
“Sylvia, look at you, making Zack cry again. You should stay away from him,” Joanna said, holding Zack tightly, her eyes shooting daggers at Sylvia. She’d never let them make up.
But then she noticed Sylvia had already walked off without looking back.
Joanna’s annoyance spiked. Back then, Zack was Sylvia’s soft spot–one tear, and Sylvia would cave.
Joanna could use Zack to get under her skin, especially since Sylvia had married the man Joanna wanted most
But now, Sylvia seemed… different
Sylvia left the school and drove to a medicinal herb farm.
She was working on a special medical patch, and the herbs it needed were hard to find.
If the patch hit the market, demand would shoot up, so she had to plan ahead.
Ruby had no clue her mom had stopped by the preschool earlier
When the bell rang, she hurried on her little legs to the first–grade classroom–her favorite part of the day, visiting her “Little Knight
Zack sat slumped at his desk, lost in thought even as the after–school chaos swirled around him. His mind kept replaying
the run in with Sylvia
“You okay?” a small voice piped up. Ruby’s tiny hand tugged at Zack’s arm. “Are you sad?”
1/3
Chapter 19
Zick looked at the sweet, big eyed girl, and some of his anger faded.
“It’s nothing, just… some stuff that got me down,”
“What kind of stuff? You can tell me!” Ruby tilted her head, her big, shiny eyes full of worry.
Zack paused, but his frustrations spilled out. “It’s that awful woman, he grumbled, “She doesn’t deserve to be a mom!”
Ruby knew Zack’s mom wasn’t nice to him, but she wasn’t sure how to cheer him up.
After a second, she grinned. “Hey, why don’t you come over for dinner tonight? My mom’s cooking is awesome–it’ll make you feel better!”
Zack met Ruby’s hopeful eyes and, almost without thinking, nodded.
He’d show that awful woman that plenty of people cared about him, even if she didn’t.
As evening rolled in, Jolie pulled up to grab Ruby from school, and Zack climbed into the car with her.
“Mom, Little Knight’s coming over Come out quick!” Ruby burst through the front door, her voice full of excitement.
Zack set his backpack neatly on the couch and sat up straight, a nervous knot in his stomach.
He couldn’t help but wonder what Ruby’s mom was like. She had to be kind and awesome to raise someone as sweet as Ruby.
Sylvia finished hanging a batch of freshly made medical patches in the backyard, wiped her hands, and walked into the house.
“Ruby, where’s he?” Sylvia asked.
Her eyes scanned the living room, but when they landed on the small figure on the couch, her smile vanished.
She never would’ve guessed that Ruby’s beloved “Little Knight” was Zack,
Zack’s jaw dropped, then anger surged through him. So she was Ruby’s mom!
He glanced at Ruby, a tiny spark of jealousy in his eyes, barely there. No wonder this awful woman didn’t want him; she’d given all her love to her
“She’s my mom! Introduce yourself, please?” Ruby asked, tilting her head, clueless about the tension in the air.
Zack clenched his teeth, his eyes reddening as he glared at Sylvia.”
He’d caught her in the act, and he was waiting for this awful woman to explain herself.
“Go back to your own home,” Sylvia said, her voice cold as ice.
Zack blinked, shocked. Not only did he not get an explanation, but now she was kicking him out.
His nose stung, and he almost ran for the door, but his stubborn side kicked in
“I’m not here for you–Ruby invited me he snapped, lifting his chin.
Ruby, confused, tugged at Sylvia’s shirt, her voice soft and pleading. “Mom, yeah, he’s just visiting. Why are you making him leave?”
Sylvia’s heart twisted with mixed feelings, but she couldn’t explain the messy past to her daughter
She turned away, her face set, and headed to the kitchen. “If you want to hang out with him, go ahead.”
“My mom’s making dinner. Let’s play for now–we’ll eat soon!”
Ruby couldn’t figure out why her mom was upset and gave up trying. She ran upstairs, grabbed her favorite toy, and hurried back down.
QUENTUJUN
Chapter 19
Zack stole a glance toward the kitchen, muttering under his breath, “She tried to kick me out, but now she’s cooking for me?”
He sniffed the air, and a sweet, familiar smell hit him. It was bear cookies!
His favorite, mixed with the warm, butter scent of fresh–baked bread.
He hadn’t had those sice Sylvia left the Blair family
He realized this awful woman still remembered what he liked.
A smug little grin spread across
Zack’s face,
, as if the earlier tension was gone. He was sure Sylvia would start fussing over him again, just like before.
With that thought, he dropped to the floor and started playing with Ruby and her toys.
“Ruby, wash–up for dinner!” Sylvia called from the kitchen, her voice gentle as she finished cooking.
“Let’s go eat!” Ruby chirped to Zack, then scampered
d into the dining room.
Zack started to follow, but Sylvia had only called Ruby’s name–not his. A flash of irritation hit him.
He hung back in the living room, waiting, but Sylvia didn’t call him. Annoyed, he marched into the dining room.
There were Sylvia and Ruby, eating warm, fragrant bread at the table, which had just two chairs–one big one small. No spot for him.
Sylvia looked up at Zack, his face dark, and said calmly, “I’ve already called your dad. Wait by the door–he’ll be here soon to pick you up.”
