Chapter 2: What She Told Serena
Serena answered on the second ring.
“Marcus?””
Her voice was tense.
Not sleepy.
Not surprised.
Tense.
“Did Tasha talk to you?””
There was a pause.
“Yes.””
“What did she say?””
Another pause.
Then Serena said, “She told me Jayden was staying with me for five days because you wanted some time alone with her and Darius.””
I closed my eyes.
Across the room, Tasha was standing perfectly still.
“She told you I agreed to that?””
“Yes.””
“Did I?””
“No.””
Serena's voice hardened.
“That's why I'm calling you now.””
I stepped onto the back porch and shut the sliding door behind me.
The night air was cool.
The house lights glowed behind the glass.
“So when did she call you?””
“Tuesday.””
“Tuesday?””
“Yes.””
Serena exhaled.
“She said you were overwhelmed. She said Jayden had been causing tension between you and Tasha.””
My jaw clenched.
“Did she say anything else?””
“She said you wanted him with me while you were on the trip.””
I looked through the glass at my son.
He was still sitting at the table.
His rocket ship was almost finished.
“Serena,” I said quietly, “did you ever tell her you could keep him?””
“Yes.””
I looked at Tasha.
“Why?””
“Because I thought you had agreed.””
My throat tightened.
“I didn't.””
“I know that now.””
Serena lowered her voice.
“She also said something strange.””
“What?””
“She said you needed to learn that not every decision could revolve around Jayden.””
I felt my hand tighten around my phone.
Behind me, the door opened.
Jayden stepped onto the porch.
“Dad?””
I immediately softened.
“Hey, buddy.””
“Who are you talking to?””
“Serena.””
His face changed.
“Mom?””
“Yeah.””
He nodded.
“Tell her I can go there.””
I crouched.
“You don't have to go anywhere.””
“But if you guys already bought the tickets…”
“We're not leaving without you.””
He stared at me.
“Even if Tasha doesn't want me?””
I didn't answer immediately.
I couldn't.
Because I didn't want to lie to him.
Instead I pulled him into my arms.
“You never have to earn your place with me.””
His face pressed against my shoulder.
I felt him breathing.
Slowly.
Trying not to cry.
“I love you, Dad.””
“I love you too.””
Behind us, the glass door slid open again.
Tasha stepped outside.
“Can I talk to you?””
I stood.
“Not now.””
“Marcus.””
“Not now.””
She looked past me at Jayden.
“Jayden, go inside.””
He didn't move.
Her expression tightened.
“I said go inside.””
I stepped between them.
“Don't speak to him like that.””
Tasha stared at me.
“He's a child, Marcus.””
“He's my child.””
She folded her arms.
“This is exactly why we have problems.””
I laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“What problem?””
“You always choose him.””
The sentence came out so naturally that I knew she'd been carrying it around for a long time.
I glanced toward Jayden.
He had gone very still.
Tasha realized what she'd said.
Her face changed.
“That's not what I meant.””
I pointed toward the house.
“Go inside.””
“Marcus—”
“Go.””
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then she turned and walked back into the kitchen.
Jayden watched her go.
“Dad?””
“Yeah?””
“Does she hate me?””
The question cut deeper than anything she'd said.
“No.””
It wasn't completely true.
But it was the answer my son needed in that moment.
“She doesn't hate you.””
“Then why did she say I was your family?””
I swallowed.
I had no good answer.
We went inside.
Darius was sitting on the stairs.
He'd clearly heard everything.
When Jayden passed him, Darius reached out and touched his shoulder.
“Hey.””
Jayden stopped.
Darius looked embarrassed.
“This isn't your fault.””
Jayden nodded.
“I know.””
But he didn't.
None of us did.
Later, after both boys went upstairs, I found Tasha in our bedroom.
She was standing in front of the closet, pulling clothes out of a suitcase.
“You're packing?””
She didn't turn around.
“I need space.””
“Where are you going?””
“Guest room.””
I stared at the open suitcase.
“Funny.””
“What?””
“You've been planning a vacation without my son, and now you're planning a life without me in the same house.””
She slammed a drawer shut.
“Don't twist this.””
“Then explain it.””
She finally turned.
“Darius has had to share everything since you married me.””
I stared at her.
“Share what?””
“Me.””
I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing.
“He's your child.””
“And Jayden is yours.””
There it was again.
That invisible line.
Mine.
Yours.
Not ours.
Tasha rubbed her forehead.
“I just wanted five days where it could be about us.””
“Then you should have said that.””
“You would have said no.””
“Yes.””
She looked at me.
“Exactly.””
I picked up the three plane tickets she'd left on the dresser.
“So this wasn't a mistake.””
“No.””
“You deliberately excluded him.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did you tell Serena I agreed?””
Her eyes flickered.
Just for a second.
But I saw it.
She looked away.
“I didn't think you'd care.””
I stared at her.
“That's a lie.””
She went silent.
Then she said, “You don't understand what I've been dealing with.””
“Then help me understand.””
She looked at the clock.
“I've got an early meeting tomorrow.””
I knew that tone.
Conversation over.
I put the tickets on the dresser.
Then I walked toward the door.
“Marcus?””
I turned.
Tasha's voice had softened.
“Please don't destroy our marriage over a five-day trip.””
I looked at her.
“I'm not.””
I paused.
“You did that when you decided my son wasn't family.””
I walked out.
At the bottom of the stairs, Darius was waiting.
He looked nervous.
“Marcus?””
“Yeah?””
“I need to tell you something.””
He glanced toward the bedroom.
Then back at me.
“Mom didn't just call Jayden's mom.””
He swallowed.
“She called somebody else, too.””
“Who?””
May you like
Darius looked toward the front door.
“The travel agent.””