Chapter 8
The head office inspection wrapped up.
And so did my departure process–officially and finally.
The job market outside was brutal.
With my social media channel gaining traction, I decided not to rush into another job.
m
While memories of corporate life were still fresh, I sorted through all the wild stories and turned them into content. Snippets, edits, punchlines.
Two months holed up at home later, I had a full–on series of workplace satire.
Ethan kept dropping by.
Always bringing Chloe in tow, arms full of toys.
He’d come in without a word, settle somewhere near my old desk, and let her play.
Then he’d quietly crash in the guest room for a few days like he never left, and leave just as quietly.
It’d been ten days since I last saw him
The season had tipped into winter.
While tidying up, I stepped on a rubber duck.
Chloe’s toy.
I sat on the floor, turning it over in my hands for a long while.
Eventually, I gave in and dialed Ethan’s number.
“Busy lately?”
There was a pause on the other end.
Silence for a few seconds. Then: “Miss me?”
“I just
“I’ll be there tomorrow.
He hung up before I finished the sentence.
I sorted through my closet, rotating out seasonal clothes.
Ended up with a whole pile to donate.
Phone aside, I kept decluttering
By the time everything was done, it was almost ten.
Early winter brought a chill, but strangely, I kept overheating in my sleep.
The heat pressed close–too solid to be just blankets.
I woke with a jolt, trying to image away–only to be pulled in tighter.
His lips w
were warm against my neck,
Olivia,” he murmured, breath hot and heavy, “wish me a happy New Yo
Year
“Are you nuts?” I whispered. “It’s November. You trying to speed–run life?”
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“You haven’t said it to me in four years.”
I turned
my face away, still trying to wriggle out of his arms.
Then he pressed his hips forward–deliberate, slow, intense.
Blood rushed to my head. I spun around and bit down on his shoulder.
“You said you’d be here tomorrow.”
“Couldn’t wait. Chloe’s coming tomorrow.”
He slid one arm under my back, tightening around me.
He tilted my chin and devoured my mouth like he’d been starving.
“Let’s get back together.”
His breath was ragged, fingers lacing through mine.
“Chloe really misses you.
“I need time to think.”
He jumped on that. “Then take her to the park. She just wants to spend one day with her mom.”
The new family park in Southside has a good kids‘ zone,” I muttered.
He dipped his head and buried it against my chest, teeth tugging open the front of my nightgown like a starving dog.
Which is how we ended up running two hours late to pick up Chloe from the airport.
By the time we caught up, the nanny’s van had already made it into the city.
Chloe had a full–on pout and wasn’t speaking.
Ethan scratched the back of his neck, reaching for her.
“Sweetheart, let Daddy fix your hair into something pretty. Then we’ll go have fun, okay?”
She turned her face away
“Don’t be mad. Daddy had to convince Mommy for a long time, that’s why we’re late,”
Still silent.
Ethan upped the stakes.
“Mommy said she’d sperid the whole day with you.”
“I never said that,” I interjected.
Chloe snapped.
She burst into tears before I could say another word.
Ethan turned red and hurried to calm her down, holding her close.
“No more being late, Daddy!” she wailed.
“Okay, okay. I swear.”
You have to promise. Not one. Three! Like pinky swears”
“Anything, anything,” he said, half–laughing, half–dying Inside,
Chopper I
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I massaged my temples.
Whatever treaties should’ve refused to sign, Ethan just agreed to–blindfolded.
Somehow, we managed to get her to the theme park
Ethan looked half–dead, dragging his feet like he’d just survived a siege.
Chloe shoved a cotton candy stick in my face.
Tears still clinging to her lashes, she beamed up at me. “For Mommy.”
I-crouched down slowly, hesitating.
Then I reached out to lift her.
And realized, for someone so little, she weighed a ton.
Ethan stepped in quickly.
“Not like that. You can’t just pick her up front–facing–she’ll flail.”
“Forget it. I’ll throw my back out. Buy me something to drink instead,” I muttered.
He whispered, “Shh, if she hears that, she’ll throw a fit.”
I zipped my lips.
Ethan went off to get drinks.
I sat with Chloe on a bench beneath a tree.
“How did you know I was your mom when we met?”
“First time?” she tilted her head. “That wasn’t the first. Daddy showed me lots of pictures. Every day. And we came here once too. Daddy said, just quietly we can’t bother Mommy.
My smile faltered.
“When was that?”
“When I was little. I don’t remember.”
“And… weren’t you mad I wasn’t around?”
She looked up at me, legs swinging.
Thought for a long time.
A little. But I still love you. All the time. ”
Ethan came back with a drink and handed it over.
He opened his mouth, theb caught a look at my face and froze
“What happened?“–
I grabbed his sleeve and wiped my eyes with it.
“Nothing Let’s go there’s still more to see!
He stared at me for a moment.
Then he took my gloved hand and ldssed my knuckles.
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I massaged my temples.
Whatever treaties should’ve refused to sign, Ethan just agreed to blindfolded.
Somehow, we managed to get her to the theme park
Ethan looked half–dead, dragging his feet like he’d just survived a siege.
Chloe shoved a cotton candy stick in my face.
Tears still clinging to her lashes, she beamed up at me. “For Mommy.”
I crouched down slowly, hesitating.
Then I reached out to lift her.
…And realized, for someone so little, she weighed a ton.
Ethan stepped in quickly.
“Not lik
t like that. You can’t just pick her up front–facing–she’ll flall”
“Forget it. I’ll throw my back out. Buy
me something to drink instead,” I muttered.
He whispered, “Shh, if she hears that, she’ll throw a fit.
1 zipped my lips.
Ethan went off to get drinks
I sat with Chlor on a bench beneath a tree.
“How did you know I was your mom when we met?”
“First time?” she tilted her head. “That wasn’t the first. Daddy showed me lots of pictures. Every day. And we came here once too. Daddy said, just quietly–we can’t bother Mommy.”
My smile faltered.
“When was that?”
“When I was little, I don’t remember.”
“And… weren’t you mad I wasn’t around?”
She looked up at me, legs swinging
Thought for a long time.
“A little. But I still love you. All the time”
Ethan came back with a drink and handed it over.
and froze.
He opened his mouth, then caught a look at my
y face and
“What happened?”
I grabbed his sleeve and wiped my eyes with it.
“Nothing. Let’s go there’s still more to see.”
He stared at
t me for a moment.
Then he took my gloved hand and kissed my knuckles,
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Chloe was giggling, chasing after a mascot,
And just like that happiness felt within reach again.
I said softly, “Maybe… getting back together wouldn’t be the worst thing‘
Chapter 1 The Last Meal
