“Look, Mommy.” Ella points at the rainbow stack with pride.
I clear the lump in my throat, offering her the biggest smile I can muster under the circumstances. “I see, baby. You’re doing a fantastic job.”
She goes back to firmly telling Reese where the blocks need to go.
Guilt eats at my stomach. I want to be more present with her, and enjoy the time we have, but I can’t think of anything else.
What if they take her?
What if they never let me see her again?
What if they treat her as shitty as they treated Jamie?
“Would you like some water, Tiff?” Reese asks as he puts a pink block perfectly in place. “Maybe some tea?”
“I’m fine,” I lie, waving him off. I am most definitely not fine, but talking about it, or finding out why Jamie went AWOL on me isn’t going to do anything for the level of anxiety I’m feeling.
Reese doesn't push. He just nods and goes back to stacking blocks, letting Ella give him increasingly complicated instructions about color placement and structural integrity. He showed up an hour ago with groceries and offers to help—no questions asked, no judgment. Just quiet, steady support.
That's Reese. Always there. Always dependable.
And then there’s Jamie.
He’s off doing something that will no doubt get him in trouble. That’s why he’s not telling me. I just know it.
I check my phone again, and there’s still nothing from him. Nothing since he agreed we’d fight this together.
“No, that's not acceptable,” Zach says, his voice rising slightly. “I don't care what the standard procedure is. This is a clear case of harassment and—” He stops, listening. “Fine. Set up a meeting for tomorrow morning. First thing.”
I glance over my shoulder, taking in Zach from the corner of my eye. He runs a hand through his hair, and he looks as exhausted as I feel.
It’s only when his phone rings again that his entire demeanor softens.
“Honey?” he answers, then pulls the phone away to look at it. “Yeah, hold on.”
He clicks something on his phone, then quickly walks over to the hallway.
“You’rewhere?”
I can’t hear Honey’s response, but whatever she says makes Zach’s shoulders tense.
That’s when he disappears around the corner.
I shouldn’t. I know I shouldn’t eavesdrop. That’s why he left the room—to get some privacy, but Honey knows more about what’s going on than me, and I need to know the truth.
Reese gives me a questioning look as I stand up slowly, but I just shake my head and follow Zach.
He’s leaning against the wall by the garage, scraping his hand across his face. “What the hell are you doing in Connecticut?”
“I’m here with Jamie,” I hear her say through the speaker.
Jamie.
He left the state without telling me.
“What the hell?”
“He couldn’t tell anyone. If he did, you all would’ve tried to stop him.”