Page 88 of All of Me

His eyes hold mine for a long moment, and the gratitude in his gaze makes my chest ache. “You’re amazing, you know that?” he murmurs.

I smile faintly, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’m just trying to keep up with you.”

The faintest smile tugs at the corners of his mouth, but it doesn’t fully erase the tension in his expression. “I just wish I could fix this.She doesn’t deserve this.”

“I know,” I say, my voice thick. “ She’s lucky to have you looking out for her. Barrett is lucky to have you too.”

He nods, but the weight in his eyes doesn’t lift. I step closer, wrapping my arms around him, and he pulls me against his chest, his arms tight around me.

We just stand there for a moment, holding each other in the quiet kitchen. The sound of Ruby stirring faintly in the bassinet is the only noise breaking the silence.

“We’ll figure this out,” I whisper again, pressing my cheek against his chest.

“I hope so,” he murmurs, his voice barely audible. “I really do.”

As if the universe couldn’t pile on any more chaos, Adam called shortly after we returned from Sabrina’s. He wanted to know when he could next see the girls, but it was the news he delivered that left me reeling: he and Katie had broken up.

Hearing him say it dredged up a whirlwind of emotions I wasn’t prepared for. The timing of the breakup, while Katie’s pregnant, felt too close to home. It mirrored the end of our marriage. I was barely ten weeks pregnant with Ruby when I found out about his affair with Janelle. I had thought we were building something lasting, a family, only for him to tear it apart. And now, I couldn’t help but wonder: had he done the same thing to Katie? Was she just another chapter in his endless cycle of destruction?

A few days later, my suspicions took on sharper edges. While sorting through the mail, I found a plain envelope with my name scrawled across the front in handwriting I didn’t recognize at first.

The moment I realized it was Katie’s, my stomach twisted. Ruby was fussing in her swing, and Sara tugged at my leg, asking for help with her crayons, but the noise around me faded into the background as I tore the envelope open.

Inside was a single sheet of lined paper, the pen strokes slightly smudged as though she’d written it through tears. I sat down at the table, the letter trembling slightly in my hands. The neat but hurried handwriting stared back at me, and with every word I read, my chest grew tighter.

Callie,

I don’t even know how to start this letter. Honestly, I don’t know if I have the right to say anything at all after everything that’s happened, but there are some things I need to tell you before I go.

I’m sure you’ve heard by now that Adam and I are over. I thought I could make this work, but I couldn’t. His anger is just too much.

I am leaving Iowa. I can’t stay here. But before I go, there’s something you should know: He hasn’t changed. Not for me, not for anyone. Please be careful.

The girls are lucky to have you. I hope someday my daughter can know her sisters, but for now, this is the only choice I can make.

Katie

The weight of Katie’s letter presses against my chest like a boulder I can’t push away. I read it again, the paper trembling slightly in my hands. The sharp, jagged edges of her words cut deeper with every pass, carving me like a knife. I think back to the moment I found out about Adam’s affair with Janelle. I had believed we were a team, a family, but he shattered those dreams. Piece by piece, he unraveled it all. His betrayal hadn’t just left scars; it had left me questioning my worth, my ability to hold my family together. Now, as I sit here clutching Katie’s letter, it feels like history is trying to repeat itself, mocking every attempt I’ve made to move forward.

Did he do the same thing to her? Was Katie just another casualty of his anger and selfishness? My throat tightens as I picture her unraveling the same way I did, her confidence shattered under the weight of his temper. The thought twists painfully in my chest, but it’s quickly followed by a simmering anger. Anger at him, for continuing this cycle.

Ruby gurgles softly on her tummy time mat, her tiny hands batting at the dangling toys with uncoordinated determination. Beside her, Sara hums a little tune as she builds a lopsided block tower, her focus absolute. Their innocence is a stark contrast to the storm raging inside me. They don’t know. They don’t understand. And it’s my job to make sure they never have to carry the weight of this chaos.

What happens when Sara asks about Katie someday? What if she remembers more than I think she will? How do I shield them from this cycle of abandonment, this endless parade of people walking away?

I fold the letter carefully, setting it on the table as though putting it down will also put the pain aside. But the words are burned into my mind, playing on an endless loop.

The sound of the back door creaking pulls me from my thoughts. Owen steps inside, his presence grounding me. His gaze meets mine, and for a moment, neither of us says anything. His eyes are heavy, and I know we’re both carrying too much right now.

“Any news?” I ask softly, though I already know the answer.

He nods, a glimmer of relief in his expression. “Will just called. Sabrina filed for the order of protection this morning. The judge is supposed to review it soon.”

My chest loosens at the news, though the weight of everything still lingers. “That’s good, right?” I ask, searching his face.

“It’s a start,” Owen says, his voice cautious. “It’s not a guarantee, but it’s something. Will’s keeping her on track, making sure she sees it through.”

I nod, though a flicker of doubt still gnaws at me. “What if it’s not enough?” The words come out before I can stop them, “What if Alex comes back?”

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