Chapter 10—THE CALL.

BREA

My phone had been ringing for the third time before I finally reached for it.

I glanced at the screen and saw Amelia's name staring back at me. For a moment, I considered letting it ring until it stopped, but I already knew she would only call again. She was probably worried because I had left the hospital without properly explaining myself, and after everything that had happened, I couldn't blame her.

I picked up the phone and answered.

“Hello?”

“Brea?”

The relief in Amelia's voice was immediate. “Oh, thank goodness. I've been calling you over and over. Where have you been? Why haven't you answered your phone?”

“I've been driving.”

There was a brief pause.

“Are you still driving?”

“Yes.”

“I can hear the wind through the phone, and there's that road noise in the background. Brea, where are you going?”

I tightened my hands around the steering wheel and kept my eyes on the road ahead.

“I'm leaving town.”

“What?”

“I'm going out of town for a while.”

“Brea, why?”

Her voice changed immediately. The worry that had been there before was now mixed with suspicion, and I knew there was no way I could avoid the conversation forever.

Before I could answer, she asked, “Is Blake with you?”

I glanced at the rearview mirror.

My son was curled against the seat with his head resting against the window. His headphones were still over his ears, playing whatever music or children's program he had chosen before falling asleep. He looked peaceful, completely unaware of the emotional storm surrounding the reason for our sudden trip.

“Yes,” I said quietly. “He's here.”

“Is he awake?”

“No. He's sleeping.”

“Does he have his headphones on?”

“Yes.”

Amelia exhaled softly.

“Good. Then tell me what happened.”

I swallowed.

“You already know what happened.”

“The boy?”

I didn't answer.

“The boy's father?” she asked.

My fingers tightened around the steering wheel.

“Yes.”

Amelia was quiet for a moment.

“Is that why you're leaving?”

I stared straight ahead.

“Yes.”

“Brea…”

“I couldn't stay there.”

“Why? Who is he?”

I opened my mouth, but the answer caught somewhere in my throat.

Who was he?

The question sounded so simple, yet answering it meant opening a door I had spent five years trying to keep locked.

Amelia must have sensed my hesitation because her voice became softer.

“Is he someone you knew before?”

I swallowed hard.

“He isn't just someone I knew.”

There was silence.

Then Amelia's voice came carefully through the phone.

“Is that Blake's father?”

My chest tightened.

“Yes.”

For several seconds, Amelia said nothing.

“Oh, Brea.”

I blinked rapidly as tears began gathering in my eyes.

“I didn't want to see him again.”

“I know.”

“I really didn't.”

My voice cracked, and I took a shaky breath before continuing.

“I spent years trying to put that part of my life behind me. I built a completely different life. I had Blake, I went to medical school, and I worked until I became someone I was proud of, convincing myself that what happened between us was something that belonged in the past.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“Then today, he walked through those hospital doors carrying his son, and everything came rushing back. It didn't matter that five years had passed. It didn't matter that I wasn't the same woman anymore. The moment I saw him, I remembered everything.”

Amelia remained silent, allowing me to speak.

“I remembered how happy we were,” I continued. “I remembered how much I loved him. I remembered believing that we were going to grow old together. I remembered waiting for a child and believing that one day we'd finally have the family we'd always talked about.”

A tear slipped down my cheek.

“And then I remembered how everything changed.”

“Brea…”

“He rejected me, Amelia.”

The words came out barely above a whisper.

“He looked me in the eyes and rejected me like I meant nothing. He chose Rhonda and the child he believed she was carrying for him, and he made me feel like I was the problem because I hadn't given him a child.”

Amelia sighed deeply.

“I remember how badly that affected you.”

“I thought I was over it.”

“You don't have to be over it just because you've survived it.”

I wiped my cheek with one hand while keeping the other firmly on the steering wheel.

“I just don't want him to have that kind of power over me anymore.”

“Then don't give it to him.”

I frowned slightly.

“What?”

“Don't let him see the woman he rejected. Let him see the woman you became after he was gone.”

I remained quiet.

“Brea, listen to me carefully,” Amelia continued. “I'm not telling you to go back there and confront him before you're ready. If you need to leave for a few days, then leave. If you need time to breathe and get your thoughts together, take it. But don't run because you're afraid of him.”

“I'm not afraid of him.”

“Then what are you afraid of?”

I didn't answer immediately.

“I'm afraid of becoming that woman again.”

Amelia's voice softened.

“You won't.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because you're not her anymore. You are a mother now. You're a doctor. You built a life without that man. And raised Blake without him. You became successful without needing him to validate you. Whatever he did five years ago doesn't erase everything you've accomplished since then.”

I felt my throat tighten.

“You're stronger than you think you are,” she said. “And if you ever have to stand in front of him again, I want you to remember that. Don't allow him to look at you and think he still has the ability to break you.”

I stared at the road ahead, listening to the steady sound of the tires against the pavement.

“I don't know if I can face him.”

“You don't have to face him today.”

“I know.”

“And you don't owe him an explanation for anything.”

“I know.”

“But Brea, don't disappear from everyone who loves you just because one person hurt you.”

Her words settled heavily in my chest.

“I just need some time.”

“Then take it.”

I let out a slow breath.

“Thank you.”

“You don't have to thank me. I'm your friend.”

I smiled faintly.

There was another pause before Amelia asked, “Does he know about Blake?”

My smile disappeared.

“No.”

“Does he know Blake is his son?”

“No.”

“Are you planning to tell him?”

My stomach twisted.

“I don't know.”

“Brea, think carefully about this.”

“I am.”

“I'm not saying he deserves anything from you,” she clarified. “I'm saying you need to think about what is best for Blake. Whatever decision you make, make sure it isn't based only on your anger or your fear. Blake deserves to have you make that decision with a clear mind.”

I glanced into the rearview mirror again.

Blake was still asleep, his headphones covering his ears, his face peaceful.

“He's all that matters to me.”

“I know he is.”

“And that's why I needed to leave. I couldn't think clearly with that man standing there.”

“Then maybe leaving is exactly what you need right now.”

I nodded even though Amelia couldn't see me.

“I just don't know when I'll come back.”

“Just promise me you're not disappearing forever.”

I stared at the endless road stretching ahead of me.

“I'll think about returning.”

Amelia was quiet.

“For now...” I took a slow breath, feeling the weight of everything I had been carrying since the moment I saw Michael again. “I just need to go.”

“Does Blake know why you're going?”

I glanced at him again.

“No. I haven't told him yet.”

“Are you planning to tell him?”

“Yes. I will.”

“When?”

“Maybe when we get there. I don't know. I just need to figure out what I'm going to say first.”

Amelia's voice softened.

“He's smart, Brea. He'll understand.”

I looked at my son for a long moment.

“I hope you're right.”

“He will.”

I smiled sadly.

“I hope so.”

“Just drive carefully, okay? And please call me when you get there.”

“I will.”

“And don't switch your phone off again.”

A small laugh escaped me.

“I'll try.”

“Brea.”

“Fine. I won't.”

“Good.”

The call ended, and I lowered the phone slowly, placing it beside me.

For a while, I said nothing.

The road stretched ahead, the wind moved gently through the small opening in the window, and Blake slept peacefully behind me with his headphones still covering his ears.

I looked at him through the rearview mirror again.

He had no idea why we were leaving.

He had no idea who his father was.

And he had no idea that the man I had spent five years trying to forget had finally found his way back into our lives.

Yes, I had told him a little bit of our story, leaving out the terrible details.

But soon I would have to tell him everything.

I just didn't know if I was ready yet.