Page 52 of Military Daddies' Nanny

My tirade leaves a ringing silence in its wake, punctuated only by Karen's hitching breaths. I don't look at Drew. I can't bear to see either gratitude or reproach in his eyes right now. This moment has been too long in coming.

“I-I just couldn’t do it anymore. You don’t understand how it was for me, dealing with a husband who didn’t want my help,” she says stiffly.

“I don’t understand?” I scoff. “Who do you think dealt with him after you left? It was the children, Carlos and I.”

I sigh when she blinks repeatedly.

“Look. I understand that he came back a mess and he was a handful. I know you tried to help and he rebuffed you, but you weren’t just leaving him when you made that decision. You were leaving your children as well. Did you think it was a great idea to leave them with him when you couldn’t stay yourself?”

Her gaze falters and she folds her arms against her chest.

“In any case, your absence was what he needed to be stronger for what was left of his family, and we are better without you.”

Finally, Carlos breaks the stillness. "We built a good life after you left, Karen." His deep voice is low, bereft of judgment now. Simply stating the facts. "A good home, a good family. Do you really think barging back in is gonna make things better? Or is it just gonna tear the ground out from under us all over again?"

Karen doesn't respond, her shoulders hunched inward like she's physically bracing against our onslaught. Fine by me. If this is what it takes to drive her back to whatever rock she crawled out from under, then I'll double down without compunction.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a flicker of movement. It’s Bella, creeping down the last stair with Jason in tow. Both kids look tense, eyes darting between the adults with uncomprehending gazes.

Another upswing of anger licks at the back of my throat.They shouldn't have to witness this kind of ugliness. Not after everything we've done to keep their worlds as stable as possible.

"Mom?" Bella whispers tremulously, and my hands fist of their own accord.

Drew kneels, beckoning her into his arms. Jason hovers behind his sister, his small face pinched with anxiety.

"It's okay, baby girl," Drew soothes, his tone a careful neutral. "I know this is a lot to take in. But your mom...she's here now, and she wants to be part of our lives again. It's up to you and your brother to decide if you're ready for that."

Bella blinks up at him, throat working convulsively as she struggles to process what she's seeing and hearing. Karen, to her credit, stays put, just observing, giving Bella time and space to take this in.

It's Jason who breaks the fragile silence, his small voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "Are you gonna leave again?"

The quiet accusation hangs in the air, sparking a fresh wave of moisture in Karen's eyes. She draws a shuddering breath before meeting her son's wary stare head-on.

"No, sweetie. I'm not going anywhere this time, I promise." Her gaze flicks momentarily to Drew, something unreadable flickering across her delicate features. "I made a terrible mistake walking out on you and your sister before. But I'm here now, and I want...I want to make it up to you, if you'll let me."

Jason considers this, shoulders bunched almost up to his ears. He's always been the more reticent of the two kids—the thinker, carefully weighing every angle before committing to a course of action. He’s a miniature version of Drew in that regard.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, he offers the tiniest of nods. An acceptance, if not an embrace of this change.

Bella, however, stays rooted to the spot, lips pressed into a tight line as she scrutinizes her mother through narrowed eyes. There's a wariness there and a maturity far beyond her tender years. It’s a sign of the misplaced responsibility of a child forced to grow up too fast in the wake of abandonment.

"Bella?" Drew prompts gently when the silence stretches on. "What are you thinking, sweetheart?"

For a heartbeat, I think she might not respond at all. Then, dropping her gaze, she mumbles, "I dunno. I'm...happy you're back, I guess." She swallows hard, wrestling with some internal quandary. "But...how do I know you won't just leave again?"

The naked vulnerability in her tone cleaves something inside me. Because what she's really asking is,How can I trust you? How can I open myself up to this pain a second time?

Karen seems to understand the unspoken query lingering beneath her daughter's words. Slowly, carefully, she drops into a crouch, putting herself at Bella's eye level.

"I can't take back what I did before, honey. I can't undo that hurt, no matter how much I wish I could." She blinks rapidly, swiping at the dampness on her cheeks. "All I can do now is promise you—swear to you—that I'm not going anywhere this time. And I'll spend every day proving to you and your brother that I mean it."

Her sincerity is palpable, almost a physical force in the room. Beside me, Carlos folds his arms across his chest, lips pressed into a grim line. From the set of his jaw, I can tell he's still deeply skeptical, anger at Karen's return simmering just beneath the surface.

I can't exactly blame him. My own feelings remain a tangled knot, every rational thought warring with the emotional riptide still dragging me under. Does she truly mean it this time? Hell, does it even matter at this point, after the damage has been done?

“All right, all right,” Carlos says. “Mommy can’t stay, and you two rascals have homework to finish. Come on. Let’s go.”

Drew meets Carlos’ eyes across the room and nods at him in silent thanks. The children follow Carlos mutely, and I feel so bad that such a huge shake-up is happening in their lives when they finally have some balance.

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