Page 58 of One Small Secret

“It could be Jessica,” Mom says.

We all nod. It could be. But just like every other week, I don’t even know what I want the truth to be. Axley has his hand in his mouth as he chews a peeled apple slice. Slobber is running down his hand and I just can’t imagine my life without him anymore. “I don’t think I can let her take him.”

Ruben rubs a hand down my arm. “He’s her son, Cadence.”

“But she abandoned him. She just left him here. I can fight her.”

“Do you want to?” he asks. The whole world thinks Axley is Ruben’s son, and he’s been the most tender and kindhearted father to him for the past few months. I know this must be killing him too. And Ben. Ben would be crushed if Axley left. His response when we got back from New York and told everyone we were done with fake dating was to produce adoption papers. Andrew, on the other hand, murmured something like, “I’m surprised it took you a whole week to figure that out.”

Moira’s face flashes on the screen as the credits roll. My phone starts pinging and I turn it off. Every week I get the same few texts from friends asking my feelings about the episode, and I just can’t deal with it today. Mom and Ruben turn off their phones as well.

We sit in silence as we all try to process exactly what just happened. A sharp knock at the door makes us all jump. Mom stands up and then stops. “Do you want me to answer it?”

I have no idea who would be coming over, and the last thing I want to do is see anyone. I need a month to process this information, and I only have a week.

The pounding sounds again, and then the keypad starts beeping. My eyes meet Mom’s, and then she rushes to the door.

It’s Moira.

Before she can step in the room I jump up to stand between her and Axley. Her hair is wild and she looks like she hasn’t slept in at least twenty-four hours. “Moira?”

Moira’s eyes flash to mine and then to Axley behind me. Her face crumples. “I’ve come to get Axley. I can’t do it. I can’t go through with it.”

“What? The finale is next week.”

“I know. I’m going to be in breach of contract. But I can’t leave Axley behind forever. I just can’t. I thought I could, but…now…” Her mouth quivers and she goes down on her knees, scooting toward Axley. She stops in front of me.

She knows she isn’t getting him without my permission. After three months of being his mom, I have a say in his life now. And this is so typical of Moira. She can’t even see a stupid reality TV show through to the end. No way am I letting her take Axley. But Axley has other ideas. He runs around my knees and puts his arms out. “Mama!”

Moira wraps Axley in her arms as tears well up in her eyes. She rubs the back of his head like he is the most precious thing in the world. Because he is.

“Are you here because you don’t think you’re going to win? Did Andre tell you he was picking Jessica?”

“No.” Moira is resting her head on top of Axley’s curls. “He was going to pick me.”

“How do you know?”

Her eyes are like daggers. “I just know, alright? And I also know the moment that camera shows the two of us together, I won’t have another chance to run away without people following me.”

My stomach knots.

“So you're just going to take him?” Ruben speaks up from behind me. “When will you come back?”

Moira gives Ruben a watery smile. It has the look of both a greeting and an apology. “I don’t know. People know Cadence and I are related. They’ll come looking for me through her.”

My fingernails dig into the palms of my hands and I step forward. “Are you telling me this is the last time I’m going to see Axley?”

“I thought you didn’t want him.”

I wonder if screaming would help. Everyone else has gone still. I clench my teeth together and speak through them. “Is this because you found out Andre isn’t a billionaire?”

Moira’s hand stops halfway down one of her strokes of Axley’s head. “What are you talking about?”

“One of the three of you isn't what they said you are, and since we know you aren’t rich, it’s either Jessica or Andre who’s lying.”

Moira looks at the TV screen as if it holds answers. “But you don’t know who?”

“No.” Mom’s voice is soft, like she’s walked onto hallowed ground. “We're waiting for the finale like everyone else.”

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