Chapter 4

The living room smelled like breakfast.

The table was already loaded with all my favorites.

I dropped into a chair and yawned.

Finley had been ridiculously clingy last night.

Every so often, he'd wake up crying, and I had to soothe him, pat his back, and coax him to sleep again.

If I was even a second too slow, the tears started.

He was like a puppy that hadn't been weaned yet.

Finally, Finley set the egg custard I'd asked for in front of me.

Honestly...

Cooking and I did not mix.

The last time I tried, I almost blew up the kitchen.

Finley got so scared he cried, then banned me from ever going near the stove again.

Since then, he'd handled all three meals every day.

He nudged the bowl closer and looked at me with big, hopeful eyes.

"Mommy."

By now, I knew the drill.

I ruffled his hair, pinched his cheek, and grinned.

"Finley, you're amazing!"

He squinted happily, trying hard to hide his smile.

At eight sharp, Finley's assistant, Peter, arrived to take him to work.

It was weird.

Around me, Finley acted like a little kid.

Everywhere else, he was totally normal.

Peter greeted me politely.

"Madam Amelia."

Finley snuck a glance at me, a tiny smile tugging at his lips.

He looked ridiculously proud.

My scalp prickled.

I still remembered the first time Finley brought me to the office.

Someone called me a gold digger and his secret girlfriend.

Bad move.

Finley heard every word.

He fired them on the spot.

Then, in front of the whole company, he made the most insane announcement possible.

I was his mother.

Afterward, he emailed my photo to the entire company and ordered everyone to call me "Madam Amelia."

Like a parent sending her kid off to school, I straightened his suit.

A weird sense of déjà vu hit me.

I'd done this for someone before.

"Work hard. Peter will bring you home after. And remember, Mommy will miss you."

Finley hugged me, shamelessly acting cute, then nodded.

The second he turned to Peter, his face went cold again.

"Let's go."

I couldn't help laughing.

"Fifi, it's like he has two totally different personalities."

[Amelia, that's because you gave him love.]

That evening, Finley excitedly handed me a fancy gift box.

Inside was an almost-finished pair of handmade slippers.

"Madam Amelia, Mr. Floyd spent all afternoon stitching the soles in his office. He wanted to make these for you."

Peter smiled at Finley.

I laughed, warmth spreading through my chest.

No wonder he'd been so glued to Mama Rose's Country Crafts yesterday.

He'd been learning how to make me slippers.

Finley ran over with a toy car and kissed my cheek.

"Thanks for buying me so many toys, Mommy!"

I froze, then laughed as my ears heated up.

Finley hadn't owned a single toy since he was ten.

Even his only teddy bear had been taken by the other kids in the family.

I wanted to give him the childhood he never had.

A paper airplane landed on my head.

I calmly pulled it off, set it aside, and tapped his nose.

"What are you, a beagle? Where do you get all that energy?"

His eyes instantly turned red.

"I'm sorry... I'm not..."