My Doctor Husband Made Me Book Appointments, So I Booked Our Divorce Chapter 07

“Mommy!”

As soon as Dad opened the door, Max ran inside.

He wrapped his arms around my neck and wouldn’t let go, smearing tears and snot all over my

face.

It had been so long since he’d clung to me like this.

I eased Max away and looked at Evan by the door.

“What are you doing here?”

Evan caught the distance in my voice, and his expression stiffened a little.

“You came to your dad’s. Of course Max and I had to follow you.”

“Right, Dad?”

Dad sighed with relief and smiled, eager to smooth things over.

“Of course. Come on in.”

“It’s not often Evan gets to come over. Don’t just stand there.”

Evan set his gifts on the table and came in as comfortably as ever.

Max wiped his tears, smiling. “Mommy, I missed you so much.”

“Mommy, I know I was wrong.”

“I won’t listen to anyone else again. I was really, really sad when you weren’t there.”

His little speech about his feelings sounded like something he’d written for school. I almost

laughed.

He was my child, after all. My anger had faded long ago.

I sniffed and bumped my forehead against his. “You little rascal. Now you know how good you had it with Mommy, huh?”

I picked him up and went to sit at the table.

As I passed Evan, I didn’t even look at him.

Dad didn’t know I was getting divorced. I wouldn’t tell him until it was final; worrying him

before then would serve no purpose.

In that sense, Evan’s timing was perfect

“Dad, I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you on the day of your surgery. I was so busy.”

Evan offered a few explanations, looking embarrassed. “The hospital had an unannounced inspection around that time. I’d just become chief, so I had to be there.”

“You became chief?”

Dad’s voice lifted with delight, and he glanced at me.

I kept my head down, feeding Max.

Dad readily accepted Evan’s flimsy excuses. I didn’t believe a word of them.

Hadn’t he missed my calls because Brooke had his phone?

Dad was all right now. If anything had happened to him, I wouldn’t have let a single one of

them off the hook.

After dinner, I was washing the dishes when Evan sidled up beside me.

“Claire, I know I’ve put my career before you these past two years. I know how much I’ve hurt

you.”

“When I started working that hard, I really did want to give you and Max a better life.”

“But I lost myself along the way.”

“I know I was wrong. Can you forgive me?”

“Please, let’s not get divorced.”

Listening to his apologies, I almost felt transported back to the beginning of our relationship.

I’d been headstrong then, and Evan had always patiently tried to cheer me up.

He’d give me a wounded look and beg me to forgive him.

Every time, I’d take the chance to let the argument go.

Evan naively thought this was just like before. Only I knew it wasn’t.

I hadn’t been that girl for a long time.

I put away the dishes and utensils, then bent my head to wipe the water from around the sink.

“Evan.”

“I don’t love you anymore.”

As I said it, the anger I’d carried for so long suddenly fell away.

None of the things that had almost made me a bitter, resentful wife seemed to matter

anymore.

Evan stood behind me. His voice trembled when he spoke.

He asked,

“Claire, you don’t love me anymore?”

“You can’t be serious. How could you stop loving me?”