Chapter 5
Edward couldn't even wait. He had to announce it to the world, right there, right in front of his son.
"Mommy," Samuel whispered. "So he has another kid. Someone else gets to call him Daddy. Is it because I'm not good enough? Or because I'm not a cute little girl?"
The anguish on his small face was a physical blow. My own heart felt like it was tearing in two.
"Sammy, none of this is your fault. This is all on me."
He reached up with his tiny hand, wiping a tear from my cheek, and pulled my head down into a fierce hug.
"No, Mommy. It's never, ever your fault! I love you, Mommy!" he choked out.
"I love you too, baby."
We held each other and cried, two broken hearts clinging together in the chaos. When our sobs finally subsided, I asked him, "Samuel, tell me. Is there anything else you want? Anything at all?"
He bit his lip, hesitating for a long time before finally speaking.
"Just having you is enough, Mommy. But there is one thing. I want to call him 'Daddy.' Just once. That would be enough."
A bitter sorrow filled me. No matter how cruel Edward was, Samuel still longed for his love.
He had always known Edward was his father. He had asked me once why he had to call him 'Uncle,' but before I could answer, he quickly said he understood, always so desperate to protect my feelings.
I knew how badly he wanted his father.
But now that we were divorced, I had no right and no desire to ask Edward for anything.
"Sammy," I asked, "what if he says no?"
His eyes drooped, and he fought to hide his disappointment.
"I'll be good. I'll explain it to him really carefully. I know he'll say yes! Just one time, Mommy. I just want to say it one time. I'll never ask again..."
My own tears started to fall. I hugged him tighter.
What "again" was there for my sweet boy?
I used the only weapon I had left: I threatened to call Joy unless Ryan told me where he was.
Ryan caved, giving me Olivia's address.
With Samuel in tow, I went straight there. As I expected, Olivia herself answered the door.
She didn't seem surprised to see me. With a mask of gentle concern, she invited us in.
"Olivia, who is it?" Edward's voice called from the living room.
The smile on his face vanished the second he saw us.
"What are you doing here? Who gave you permission to bother Olivia and Chloe?"
Olivia gracefully leaned against him. "Edward, don't be so harsh," she murmured. "If it weren't for Grace taking care of you all these years, I don't know what I would have done."
"Olivia, stop it," he said firmly. "She wanted to, and my grandmother forced her. You have nothing to feel guilty about."
"I trust you, Edward," she said softly. "Why don't you two talk? I'll just step out for a bit."
She was wearing only a thin sweater. As she made a show of leaving, Edward grabbed her arm.
"It's freezing out there. I'm not letting you go out. I'll go with her. You and Chloe wait for me inside."
"Okay," she murmured. "But wear a coat!"
I remembered all the times I had told him to dress warmly, only to be called a nag. But for Olivia, he was an obedient puppy.
He threw on a jacket and roughly pulled Samuel and me out into the hallway. The wind was brutal, and Samuel started sneezing, his small body shivering.
"We're divorced, Grace," Edward snapped. "Leave me alone."
"Samuel is sick, Edward. I only brought him here to fulfill his last..."
Edward waved his hand, cutting me off.
"I've told you a hundred times. If he's sick, take him to a doctor! Why are you dragging Olivia into this? She's innocent. She's not like you."
I knew Olivia was special to Edward. I didn't love Edward, but for my son, I had to swallow my pride.
"Edward, Samuel is running out of time..."
"No, I'm running out of time. Stop wasting it."
He pushed past me, ready to go back inside. That's when Samuel's trembling voice cut through the tension.
"Uncle Edward," he said, "I'm dying. I only have a few days left."