“We’ve been together for 10 years, sweetheart. He told me that he was only with you because you had a fancy house and a steady paycheck. Being a sad widow was a bonus, really.”
Her words felt like a slap.
I stared at Jacob, waiting for him to deny it.
He didn’t. He didn’t say a word.
“Get out,” I demanded. “Both of you.
Get out now.”
“You’re not going to say anything?” she asked him.
The woman stormed off, slamming the car door. Jacob tried to apologize, but I pointed to the street.
“Out. Now,” I hissed.
“Don’t you ever come back.”
The next day, I packed all of Jacob’s things and threw them into bin bags. I was going to leave them outside his mother’s house, but then I decided to do something better.
I left them at a construction site. I figured the workers could help themselves.
Then, I drove to my mother’s house, ready to see my little girl.
“What happened?” my mother asked, peering at me.
“I’ll tell you tomorrow,” I said. “Today is about Maggie.”
I packed Maggie into the car and took her for ice cream. As she dug into her sundae, I leaned over.
“You did the right thing by telling me the truth, sweetheart.
I’m so proud of you.”
She smiled, her face lighting up.
“No more secrets, Mommy,” she said.
“That’s right,” I said, pulling her into a hug. “But when we get home, I need you to know that Jacob won’t be there. He’s not going to be with us anymore.”
She was quiet for a while and then she spoke.
“Mom?
I didn’t like New-Dad that much anyway.”
Jacob was gone, and so was the life I thought we were building. But as I looked at Maggie, I realized I didn’t need him. I had her, my home, and the strength to keep going.
Sometimes, losing the wrong person is the way to make room for the life you truly deserve.
