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, Zoey

Fitch whipped out his phone and

other end made the corners of his mouth curl

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

"Yes, Mr. Haskins."

classroom door, catching sight of Nolan staring blankly

heart ached instantly. The boy was precocious, aware at such a young age that Zoey was his mom,

Deep down, Nolan probably

Zoey was about to start a new family and didn't want him anymore. The child's fear was palpable, but Zoey was blind

nothing, and with her job at the kindergarten, the faint bond of mother and child seemed all the more

every child was hers, her love equally divided among

be so hard for

urge to smoke again; the greatest wrongs in

walking to the front to grab the craft Zoey had demonstrated. Zoey

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

being with Mom didn't mean the insurmountable separation adults talked about,

to touch the little

kids in the class adored Zoey, all vying

March's kitty is mine, all