Chapter 3

"Oh. I left to get something to eat," I said indifferently.

Just then, Jill and Neil approached. She said, "Neil just said that he wants to have pizza, Jolene. We can eat together if you don't mind. Take it as my apology to you."

"I don't like—" Before I could finish, Shawn agreed on my behalf. He even ordered me to take the car around.

I didn't want to argue with him since I'd already made up my mind about leaving, so I went to the garage without argument. When I brought the car around, he got into the backseat with Jill and Neil as if it were the most natural thing to do.

He only realized the problem after I started driving. He said uneasily, "Neil is still young, and he clings to me. That's why I—"

I looked in the rearview mirror and saw them sitting there like a happy family of three. I interjected impatiently, "It's good that you're all sitting together. It's dangerous in the front passenger seat, after all."

My words took Shawn aback—he'd told me something similar in the past. I'd quarreled with him over the front passenger seat before, and he'd said impatiently, "What's there to argue about? It's not safe riding shotgun."

The rest of the journey passed with me driving and listening to the joy and cheer in the backseat. I was like an outsider.

…

Shawn, Jill, and Neil headed inside the pizzeria when we arrived. When I entered after parking the car, I found that there were only three sets of cutlery at the table.

Shawn looked at me awkwardly. He was about to summon the server to add another set when Neil suddenly cried, "I don't want to eat with the nasty woman! Mommy said she'll take Daddy away! I don't want her!"

Jill hurriedly clamped a hand over his mouth and looked at me apologetically. "He's just a child; he doesn't mean it. Don't mind him, Jolene."

Meanwhile, Shawn pulled Neil into his arms and soothed him. He shot me a look, telling me that I was at fault for this.

I chuckled and said to Neil, "He'll always be your Daddy, kiddo. I won't take him away."

That made the look in Shawn's eyes change. Before he could say anything, I turned and headed to a table in the corner. I had pizza by myself.

I heard the three of them talking and laughing in the distance, but it didn't affect my mood.

I was driving home after finishing my food when Shawn suddenly called me. "Where are you, Jolene? We're done, so you can wait for us in the parking lot."

I couldn't help wondering how lowly he thought of me to speak to me so matter-of-factly. Why would he think that I would still return home with them after how they'd treated me?"

I said indifferently, "I'm already home."

That pissed him off. "What the hell do you mean by this? How could you leave without us when we came out together?"

I calmly asked in return, "Didn't you guys say you wanted to catch a movie?"

That shut Shawn up. Before leaving the pizzeria, I'd seen Jill's social media update. "Neil has always wanted to watch a movie with me and his father. His wish has finally come true."

It came with a photo of the three of them together.

A friend commented, "Congratulations! You guys have finally gotten together!"

Jill had replied with a blushing emoji.

After a brief silence, Shawn said awkwardly, "The four of us can watch the movie together. You keep talking about how I've never caught a movie with you, right?"