Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 157032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
“Because I plugged it in and forgot to turn the power point on.”
“Because you haven’t slept,” he says, his tone eerily calm. “How the hell, do you expect to parent when you’re not sleeping?”
My eyes fill with tears. “It was just a mistake.”
“No, Ashley. It wasn’t a fucking mistake. It was a choice to go to the club last night and get naked for other men. It was a fucking choice to neglect Owen today.”
“This has nothing to do with last night.”
“It has everything to do with last night!” he yells, making me jump.
My eyes narrow as tears form—guilty tears.
He puts his hands on his hips and drops his head as he tries to calm himself down. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on with you.” He sneers. “But you better get your fucking act together real quick.”
He leaves the room in a rush and I stand still as the weight of his words swirl around me.
I hate that this happened. I hate that I let this happen.
I slowly walk downstairs and back out to the kitchen to see Cameron pick up Owen off the sofa and put him on his hip. “Come on, mate. I’m going to drive you both home. Mom’s not fit to drive tonight.”
My eyes close with regret because he’s right… I’m not.
Cameron
“What days do you go to preschool, Owie?” I ask as my eyes find his in the rear-view mirror. It’s Saturday morning and I have just picked him up for the day.
Ashley’s greeting was as icy as ever, but I don’t care. I’m off her. She fucking shits me. She can hate me all she wants.
“Tuesdays and Thursdays,” he replies as he looks out the window. “But I don’t really like it.”
“Why not?” I ask.
“Ryan is mean to me.”
I frown as I watch him. “What do you mean?”
He shrugs. “He takes my toys and won’t let me play chase.”
“Well, you just tell him you’re playing.”
“Yesterday he told me he was going to punch me in the dick.”
What the hell? “What?” I snap. “When did he say that?”
“Alison said I could play chase, and then he said if I did he was going to punch me.”
“And what did you do?”
He shrugs as he looks out the window. “I just went away.”
“What did Mom say?” I ask.
“She said…” He hesitates as he tries to remember. “She said to stay away from mean people.”
“Has he been doing this for long?” I ask.
He nods as he stares out the window.
“Owen, I want you to do something for me,” I say as my eyes flicker between him and the road.
“What?”
“Next time he says he’s going to hit you, I want you to do this.” I hold my hand up and then make a fist. “You do this with your hand and you tuck your thumb around the outside.”
He frowns.
“Can you do that for me? Show me how you do your hand?”
He makes a fist.
“Now, tuck your thumb around the front of your fist.”
He does it.
“Next time he says he’s going to hit you, you hit him first. You pull your arm back and hit him straight in the nose as hard as you can with your fist.”
He frowns.
“Bullies will only pick on you if they know you won’t fight back, Owen.”
He frowns at me.
“You don’t put up with crap, mate. If someone’s going to hit you, you show them you’re not scared, and they won’t be mean anymore.”
He watches me.
“Next time he says something, you do that, and I promise you he won’t be mean again.”
A trace of a smile crosses his face. “I might get into trouble.”
“It doesn’t matter.” I smirk. “It’s better than putting up with crap.” I pull the car into the parking lot. “Now, let’s go and buy our new skateboards.”
His eyes widen with excitement.
“You and me are learning how to skateboard this morning. How does that sound, buddy?”
“Good.” He smiles cheekily and makes a fist at me.
I smile broadly and hold my fist over to the back seat and he hits it with his.
Game over. This kid’s got me already.
It’s 2pm when the doorbell rings. Owen and I have been skateboarding up and down the driveway for hours. He’s actually pretty good and has natural balance.
It’s time for my family to meet my son, and it feels weird to be honest.
“That’s them, Owie.” I smile.
His little hands wring in front of him nervously and I smile to reassure him. Ashley was right, he is timid. We head to the front door and find Joshua, Tash, and their five kids. The kids are bouncing balls and the two younger boys are wrestling, as always.
Joshua has wild kids and I guess I didn’t realise how wild until I met Owen. I thought all kids were the same. My mother and Murph are with them and I open the door in a rush.