My Son Learned To Say Goodbye Before I Did Chapter 05

My Son Learned To Say Goodbye Before I Did Chapter 05

I rescheduled the flights. Three o’clock. Today.

Once the passenger details were confirmed, I started making the final preparations.

At nine, I made breakfast in that house one last time.

The cake Grant bought last night was still sitting in the fridge.

Eli took it out and threw it straight into the trash.

At ten, I picked up the signed divorce papers from my lawyer.

The very first clause stated clearly. Full custody of the child would belong to me.

While handling everything, I came across Sabrina’s newest social media post.

[Family portraits are finally here.]

[Daddy and the little guy both love them. We’re hanging these right where everyone can see.]

Beside me, Eli quietly folded paper airplanes.

When he saw the post, he didn’t say a single word.

All he said was, “Mom, just sign it already.”

At one, after lunch, Eli and I loaded our bags into a cab and headed to the airport.

We still had two hours before we were supposed to meet Grant.

Eli sat next to me with his tablet, scrolling silently through photos—all of him and Grant.

There he was at his birthday—Grant holding him up, showing him off to everyone.

A picture from when he was three, the two of them grinning at the camera with peace signs while watching a movie together.

And videos from this year, before Sabrina appeared in our lives.

Grant standing behind Eli, patiently teaching him how to ride a bicycle step by step.

Eli watched them on a loop. He didn’t cry—but the sadness filled every inch of that cab.

I sat beside him without saying anything.

At two o’clock, we prepared to go through security.

Grant called. “Celeste, tell Eli I’m sorry, okay?”

“Milo fell and got hurt—I have to take him to the hospital.”

“I don’t know if I can make it by three. If I’m running late, just head home without me.”

“Just tell Eli I’m sorry, alright?”

He hung up quickly before he could even hear the boarding announcement echoing through the terminal.

“Let’s go.” I held out my hand to Eli.

He nodded, selected the whole album, and deleted it all—one tap.

At exactly three o’clock, the plane took off.

I slipped Eli’s headphones over his ears and gazed out at the blue sky and endless clouds.

Then I exhaled—slow and deep, from somewhere deep inside.

Goodbye, Grant.

At that exact moment, Grant pushed past Sabrina’s tearful pleading and bolted out of the hospital—racing toward Adventure Kingdom as fast as he could.