Chapter 13
But this time, her words came out more clearly.
"Dad, I'm not three years old," she said.
"You said I was old enough to make my own choices.
"So now, I can choose to come back."
James's face twitched.
"And what happens if you come back?" he asked.
"You'll just go back to being bossed around by your mom?
"You'll still have to get up at 6:30?
"You'll still have to go to classes on weekends?
"Have you really thought this through?"
Anna looked down at her hands.
She was silent for a few seconds.
"I've thought it through," she said.
"I don't like waking up so early every day," Anna said.
"And I hate having to keep correcting my mistakes.
"But at least Mom is there with me.
"She doesn't tell me she loves me and then make someone else deal with all my problems."
After she said that, the living room went so quiet that all you could hear was the ticking of the clock.
James looked like he'd just been slapped in front of everyone.
Grace was the first to react.
She pointed at Anna.
"You ungrateful brat!" she snapped.
"We've given you good food and a good life, and this is how you talk about your dad?" Grace snapped.
Anna shook her head, tears streaming down her face.
"I didn't!" she cried.
"I'm just telling the truth," Anna said.
Grace was about to start scolding her again.
Ms. Parker stood up.
"Mrs. Alden, please be careful with your words," she said.
"There are students present.
"If you keep speaking to her like this, I'll have to suggest the parents cut back on her one-on-one time with you."
Grace was left speechless.
She'd never been put in her place by a teacher like this, right to her face.
James's face grew even darker.
He shoved the stack of papers onto the table.
"Fine," he said.
"You guys are something else," James said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
"If Anna wants to come back, fine.
"But I have my conditions."
I looked at him.
"Go ahead," I said.
James leaned back on the couch, his tone cold and unyielding.
"Don't ever use this against me again," he said.
"And don't go posting anything about this in the parents' group.
"Anna's custody stays as it is. No changes.
"If Anna wants to come back to you, I'm not going to stand in her way.
"But I'm not signing anything that puts me at a disadvantage."
I gave a little laugh.
"Oh, so now you're worried about what's bad for you?" I asked.
James glared at me.
"Helen, don't push it," he said.
I didn't bother arguing with him.
I pulled out my phone and opened the parents' group chat.
"Who posted that message in the group?" I asked.
James's face froze.
Grace jumped in right away. "I did. What's the problem?"
"Did I say something wrong?" Grace shot back.
"So you're teaching her to lie, aren't you?" Grace demanded.
I set my phone down on the table.
"Since you insist you did nothing wrong, go ahead and explain it in the group chat," I said.
"Tell everyone exactly how many times Anna was late while she was staying with you.
"Explain why she had to do her homework in the middle of the night.
"Let everyone know what chores you had her do while she was supposed to be working on her homework.
"And make sure you mention how James went behind my back and bought her a phone, then told her to keep it from me."
Grace opened her mouth, ready to argue.
I cut her off. "If you won't say it, I will."
James shot to his feet.
"Helen!" he shouted.
I looked up at him.
"You're not scared of what I might say," I said.
"You're just scared everyone will see you're not the great dad you pretend to be," I added.
James's chest heaved with anger.
Ms. Parker stood up as well.
"Mr. Thompson, this isn't about winning or losing," she said.
"Anna is about to enter a new phase in her life.
"She needs a stable environment.
"If she clearly wants to live with her mother, the school will respect her wishes and work with her primary guardian."
James gritted his teeth.
"Fine," he said.
"She's your responsibility now.
"Don't come looking for me again."
Anna's face turned pale.
She looked at James.
"Dad," she whispered.
James didn't even look at her.
"Didn't you choose your mom?" he asked coldly.
"Then stick with your choice," he added.
With that, he turned and walked toward the door.
Grace followed behind, grumbling under her breath.
"Ungrateful brat," she muttered.
"Just like her mother.
"Don't come to us if you need anything in the future."
The door slammed shut.
Anna slumped in her chair, like she'd just been completely emptied out.
Ms. Parker said gently, "Anna, you did really well today."
Anna looked up.
Her lips moved, but no words came out.
After Ms. Parker left, the house fell silent.
I gathered up the papers on the table, one by one.
Suddenly, Anna spoke up.
"Mom, does Dad not want me anymore?" Anna asked.
My fingers froze.
That question was tougher to answer than all the fighting earlier.
I looked at her red, puffy eyes.
As her mom, I said, "What he said today really hurt."
"But that doesn't mean you're not important.
"He hasn't learned how to be a real dad yet."
Anna looked down.
"Will he still care about me?" she asked.
I said, "If he wants to be responsible, I won't stand in his way."
"But if he doesn't, you can't just put your life on pause hoping he'll change," I added.
She covered her face, crying silently.
I walked over and gently hugged her.
This time, she didn't put all her weight on me like before.
She just clung to the hem of my shirt.
Like a kid who finally learned that even something sweet can hurt you.
James didn't show up again that afternoon.
Grace didn't say another word in the group chat.
I thought things would finally calm down for a few days.
But at nine that night, Anna's old phone suddenly rang.
An unknown number flashed on the screen.
She looked at me, her hand frozen in place.