After being reborn, I make up my mind to stop chasing after my husband and daughter

Chapter 19

My morning dance class left me drenched and pleasantly loose–limbed.

Come noon, I called Sally about whether Yvonne was coming home.

“Yvonne’s at the amusement park with Tracy,” Sally informed me. “You should give Tracy a call.”

Tracy had become like a second mother to Yvonne–genuinely devoted and always making time for her.

Not that I hadn’t been that mother once. There was a time when my world revolved around parent–teacher conferences and bedtime stories too.

I didn’t call Tracy. If my daughter smiled more with her, who was I to interfere?

I was about to eat alone when my phone buzzed with an unknown number.

“Hello. Is that Victoria Murphy?” The male voice on the line was warm and unfamiliar.

“Speaking,” I answered automatically before catching myself. “May I ask who’s calling?”

“I’m the student you sponsored years ago.” The earnestness in his voice prickled my skin. “I was hoping we might have lunch today.”

The pause stretched too long. I’d never wanted gratitude, and now wasn’t the time to revisit the past–not when I had my own reasons to keep my distance.

In my previous life, I’d seen enough online stories about scholarship recipients turning on their benefactors to last a lifetime.

“It’s just lunch,” he said, lowering his voice when he caught my hesitation. “No strings attached.”

“I’m married,” I said quickly. “Meeting men alone… it wouldn’t look right.”

“Bring a friend then,” he offered.

Though I could hear the genuine gratitude in his voice, I calmly refused. “Meeting isn’t necessary. The best repayment is you succeeding,” I said, and hung up before he could argue.

lunch by myself. At three in the afternoon, Jared called. “Yvonne fell. Her leg’s hurt. Meet us at the hospital,” he said, his voice

“How?” My stomach dropped.

as he finished, the hospital location appeared on my

knew she needed me

arrived at the hospital, Yvonne was curled against Jared, quietly crying with her leg bandaged.

me, her

sat on the edge of the hospital bed

1/3

voice thick with remorse. “I

how Yvonne is, always

eyes grew red

She fell asleep in my arms

clearly worried I’d blame Tracy. “Victoria,” he said quickly, “Tracy was just trying to help with

protectiveness. Did he really think I’d play

Mrs. Holcomb.” Tracy’s voice trembled with

when Yvonne was my entire world, I would have torn Tracy apart for letting Yvonne get hurt. Now I barely

tousled hair and then turned to Tracy. “Thank you for watching her. She’s

silence was almost

I didn’t give her the dramatic

while

fault,” Tracy said with theatrical

upright. When she snapped her head up,

said, looking up calmly, “why don’t you take Tracy home now? I’ll stay

kindness toward Tracy clearly caught Jared off guard. He shifted

said. Whether out of guilt or self–reproach, he sent her

to leave, though not without one last resentful look in

back against the raised hospital bed, I closed my eyes, our daughter

her,” Jared offered

my eyes to find Jared leaning in to carefully