37 Times She Chose Him, The Last Time I Let Him Go Chapter 02

37 Times She Chose Him, The Last Time I Let Him Go Chapter 02

Natalie crouched down beside Tessa, all sugary sympathy.

“Don’t cry, sweetie. Crowns can be replaced. And look, your drawing’s torn—how about I glue it back together for you?”

Before Tessa could react, Natalie took the two halves from her arms.

Tessa lunged to grab them back.

Natalie’s hand jerked, and the paper fluttered straight into the scented candle burning on the side table. The flame licked up the corner.

I slapped the fire out with my bare hand. Smoke billowed, and Tessa started coughing.

Her airways were sensitive. Mild asthma.

The fire had burned away one of the three figures on the paper. Tessa stared at the missing space where her father used to be, and finally, she sobbed.

“Mom, Dad’s gone.”

Natalie fumbled for tissues. “I’m so sorry. It was an accident. Tessa, you can draw another one, okay?”

I knocked her hand away. “Get out.”

Grant handed Leo to Natalie. “Take him to the guest room. Let me talk to her.”

After the door clicked shut, he grabbed my wrist. “Enough. She apologized.”

I pulled free. “You see Tessa crying, and that’s your response?”

“She’s a kid. She’ll get over it.”

He lowered his voice. “Natalie’s been fragile since the divorce. If you make a scene in front of Leo, she could spiral. Do you want that on your hands?”

“And what about Tessa?”

“She has two parents and a good life. She doesn’t want for anything.”

He paused, then added, “Don’t raise her to be so sensitive. A drawing, a crown—it’s all just stuff. She needs to learn to let things go.”

From the bedroom doorway, Tessa’s crying had stopped.

I turned and saw my daughter standing there.

Tessa folded what was left of the drawing into a small square and tucked it into her costume pocket.

“Dad,” she said, her voice flat, “I won’t mind anymore.”

Grant shifted uncomfortably and reached to pick her up.

Tessa stepped back and closed the door.

The next morning, Tessa’s teacher called.

Tessa had locked herself in the bathroom at school and refused to come out.

I drove over immediately.

As I reached the office, I caught the tail end of a conversation between two teachers.

“I saw that livestream too. Leo’s mom and Mr. Holloway looked like a real family.”

“But isn’t he Tessa’s father?”

“That’s what Leo’s been telling everyone. A few kids started teasing Tessa, saying her dad likes Leo more.”

I pushed through the door.

Tessa was already in the office. The moment she saw me, she ran over and gripped my hand so tightly her knuckles went white.

The teacher cut herself off. “Mrs. Bennett, I’m so sorry. Some of the children were insensitive. We’ve already spoken to them.”

I knelt. “Did someone hurt you?”

Tessa shook her head.

The teacher hesitated, then slid a piece of paper across the desk. A child had drawn a man in blue, holding Leo’s hand while pushing Tessa away.

“Tessa saw this and shut herself in the bathroom,” the teacher said quietly.

Before I could answer, the office door opened again.

Grant walked in, Natalie right behind him.

Natalie’s eyes were red-rimmed. “Teacher, the livestream was a misunderstanding. Leo’s been craving a father figure—he just got carried away.”

Grant stepped forward. “This is kids being kids. No need to blow it out of proportion.”

I shoved the drawing at him. “Your daughter was mocked by her entire class for not having a father. Does that sound like kids being kids?”

Grant glanced at the paper and frowned. “I’ll talk to her.”

Leo popped out from behind Natalie and grabbed Grant’s hand. “Grant, Ms. Torres says I can’t call you that anymore.”

Grant crouched. “She didn’t mean it that way.”

“Can I still call you?”

Leo stared up at him with big, hopeful eyes.

Natalie whispered, “Maybe drop it. Tessa’s upset. Leo, from now on, it’s Uncle Grant.”

The kid burst into tears. “I don’t want Uncle. I want Dad.”

All the parents in the waiting area turned to stare.

Grant’s face flushed. He turned to Tessa. “Leo’s just saying that privately. It won’t change anything. She’s three months older. That doesn’t make her the grown-up here.”

Tessa stared at him blankly. “I’m only three months older.”

Grant’s jaw tightened. “Old enough to know better.”

His phone buzzed. The school principal had posted an announcement to the group chat:

[To avoid any confusion regarding family relationships, Mr. Holloway, please confirm which child’s parent you will be attending tomorrow’s Father Participation Workshop as.]

Leo grabbed Grant’s phone before he could stop him, and pressed the voice message button.

“Grant’s coming with me, of course.”

The message sent.

Grant didn’t retract it.