The Day I Stopped Holding This Family Together Chapter 07

The Day I Stopped Holding This Family Together Chapter 07: Someone Sees Her Value First

I got to the school in fifteen minutes.

The administrative wing was at the front of the building, exactly where Cade had taken thirty-five minutes to locate. I walked through the double doors and Mr. Harrison saw me from his desk and stood up.

“Mrs. Lawson. I—”

“Where is he.”

“Principal’s office. With his father and—”

“Thank you.”

I walked past him. I knew this hallway. I had walked it for every art show, every honor roll breakfast, every flu pickup. I reached the principal’s office and pushed the door open without knocking.

Cade was standing. Elena was sitting in a chair, her legs crossed, her phone in her hand. Theo was slumped in the second chair, his hood up, staring at the carpet.

He looked up when the door opened.

I saw the exact second his face changed.

“Mom,” he said. Out loud. In front of his father and his father’s mistress.

Cade’s jaw dropped. “What is *she* doing here.”

“You called me,” I said.

“I called you four hours ago.”

“I’m here now.”

Elena stood up. She was younger than I had expected. Late twenties. Dark hair, cut short. The trench coat was folded over the back of her chair, and yes, it probably cost more than Donna’s car. She held out a hand to me like we were at a charity luncheon.

“You must be Sienna. I’m—”

“I know who you are.”

I didn’t take her hand. I didn’t look at her again. I walked across the office and crouched down in front of Theo.

“Hey,” I said softly.

He didn’t say anything. He just leaned forward and put his forehead against my shoulder.

His whole body was shaking.

“Sienna, this is inappropriate,” Cade said behind me. “You don’t have legal standing to be in this room. You’re not on the contact list.”

I didn’t turn around.

“Theo. Look at me.”

He lifted his head.

“What happened?”

His eyes flickered to Elena. He didn’t answer.

“What happened, baby.”

His voice was barely a whisper. “Marcus Wright said you weren’t really my mom. He said you ran off with Dad’s business partner. He said it was in his mom’s group chat.”

I closed my eyes for one second.

“What did you do?”

“I hit him.”

“Once?”

“Three times.”

I almost smiled. I didn’t, but I almost did.

“Okay,” I said. “Look at me. I am your mother. I have been your mother for six years. A group chat does not change that. A photograph does not change that. A school form does not change that.” I paused. “What your father did to that form was wrong. And I am going to fix it. Do you understand me?”

He nodded. His eyes were wet.

“Sienna, that’s enough.” Cade’s voice was sharp now. “You don’t get to come in here and—”

I stood up. I turned around.

“Your son was assaulted with a *rumor your mistress’s friends put in a group chat.* Your son threw three punches over my reputation. Your son was the one who called me Mom in front of two adults two minutes ago. You can call your lawyer about my legal standing. I am going to be very interested to hear what he says.”

Elena’s face had gone the color of milk.

Cade opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.

“We’ll discuss this at home.”

“I don’t live there anymore.”

I helped Theo up. I put my arm around his shoulders. He was almost as tall as I was now and he still tucked himself against me like he was eight.

I walked him out of the principal’s office.

In the parking lot, I sat him in the passenger seat of my car. I closed the door. I walked around to the driver’s side, and as I reached for the handle, I heard a voice behind me.

“Sienna.”

I turned.

Ryker.

In a dark blazer, leaning against a low-slung black car parked four spots over. He had been there the whole time.

“What are you doing here,” I said.

“Mr. Harrison called the firm when he couldn’t reach Cade. He still has the old emergency tree from when you ran our office. The call routed to my desk.”

I stared at him.

“How long have you been in this parking lot.”

“Forty minutes.”

“You didn’t come in.”

“It wasn’t my room to walk into.”

I exhaled. My hands were shaking again. They had been steady for the entire scene in the principal’s office, and now that it was over, the tremor was returning.

Ryker pushed off his car and walked over. He stopped a respectful distance away. He looked at Theo through the passenger window and gave him a small nod. Theo, still red-eyed, nodded back.

“There’s a meeting tonight,” Ryker said. “Women’s founders’ group. South Congress. Nadia Thorne is hosting. You should come.”

“Ryker, my son just—”

“Take him with you. He can sit in the lobby and do homework. He should see this.”

“See what?”

“You. Outside that house. Doing something that’s yours.”

I looked at him. I looked at Theo, who was watching us through the glass with an expression I couldn’t read.

“Why are you doing this, Ryker.”

He met my eyes.

“Because someone should have done it six years ago. And because I think you’re about to discover what you’re actually worth, and I want a front-row seat.”

He walked back to his car. He didn’t say goodbye. He just got in and drove away.

I climbed into the driver’s seat. Theo was still looking at me.

“Who is that,” he said.

“My ride home, the night I left.”

He nodded slowly. “He’s not like Dad.”

“No,” I said. “He’s not.”

I started the car.