Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

ATHENA

"Mummy you just have to come with Daddy. My friends will laugh at me!" Rayen holds onto my hand as he pouts.

I sigh as I lift him in my arms and shower his cute face with kisses.

"Baby, Daddy will be busy." I lie.

But he shakes his head.

"No he won't. Daddy is never too busy for me. He comes to every school event. But can't you join him this year?"

His eyes widen as he cups my cheeks in his tiny hands. "Please, Mummy? Just this once?"

I hug him tighter, burying my face in his soft curls to hide the guilt clawing at my chest.

If only he understood how complicated things really were between me and Alex.

But how do I explain that to a three-year-old who still sees the world in black and white?

"Sweetheart," I whisper, brushing his hair back. "Mummy just... can't."

His face falls. The pout returns, deeper this time, but it's the sadness in his eyes that does me in.

"You don't love Daddy anymore? Is that why you won't let us stay together?" he asks quietly.

My heart stops.

I force a smile, even as my vision blurs for a second. "No that's not it."

"I wish I could show my friends I have a mummy. They laugh at me, saying, Aunt Leah is my Mummy, and she's in prison."

A sharp pain shoots through my chest as anger seethes through me.

I stroke his hair, my arms tightening around him instinctively.

"Who told you that?”

allowed to come on the camping trip. And I want to go. He said his mummy told him my mummy was in prison. When I said

so tight it hurts. Blood roars in my ears,

her child to say

mock another child, to mock my son for something he

in my throat like bile. Not just at Liam's

For letting this happen.

all it did was make him

I could shield him from every cruel word the

"Baby, look at me."

eyes red and his bottom

to come with you, okay?" I say softly, but firmly. "You're not going to that

so pure and sweet it

sweetheart. And if anyone says something mean again, you tell them the truth, that your mummy is a doctor, not a prisoner. And if that doesn't

I smile as

looks at me, his green eyes holding mine, "Don't worry, mummy, I didn't let them see me

I laugh.

come on, strong guy, come

really don't like the kitchen!" He complains, making

your own if I don't teach you

kitchen when he

hold back

short-lived because the memories from last week come rushing back like

can't hold

me during my panic

way his

grounding me

and

it was

held me like

a heartbeat, I forgot everything

I forgot the pain.

The betrayal.

The lies.

how