Dear Ex-wife Marry Me by Twin Bridge

"Yeah, Mom's got a new beau now and doesn't need him or Dad anymore."

Sister Rosemary used to say that stepmothers could be wicked, leaving kids hungry, cold, and sometimes even selling them off to some godforsaken place in the boonies. The more Nolan thought about it, the deeper his sense of loss became.

As recess rolled around, Zoey stepped out of the classroom and immediately spotted Fitch standing not too far away.

She wasn't exactly fond of the man, but he was, after all, Zion City's biggest investor. She owed him some courtesy.

"Mr. Haskins."

She called out and started heading to her office.

"Ms. March, are you off for a break now?"

Zoey forced a smile, not too keen on chatting, but managed to respond, "Yeah, in an hour the kids will have lunch. I need to get the storybook ready for our pre-meal reading." "I'll join you."

"That won't be necessary, Mr. Haskins. I'm sure you're quite busy."

"Not at all."

Taking a deep breath, Zoey replied with feigned cheerfulness, "Really, it's fine. This sort of thing, I usually do with my boyfriend."

Fitch didn't budge, fiddling with his lighter that he had pulled out but hadn't used, twirling it between his fingers.

that he wasn't insisting,

Fitch whipped out his phone and

the other end made the

refuse to believe he'll pass it up. Have the official side send him

"Yes, Mr. Haskins."

hanging up, Fitch approached the classroom door, catching sight of Nolan staring blankly at the

ached instantly. The boy was precocious, aware at such a young age that Zoey was his mom, yet he dared not call out

Deep down, Nolan probably

family and didn't want him anymore. The child's fear

the kindergarten, the faint

her love equally divided among all her

be so hard

to smoke again; the greatest wrongs in his life were done to Zoey

the front to grab the craft Zoey had demonstrated. Zoey was skilled; the little

first time Fitch had seen Zoey create something, and his heart

separation adults talked about, but why

about to touch the little cat, another

kids in the class adored Zoey, all vying for the

March's kitty is