Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

"Because Mother Rosita said if I ever acted like I cared more for anyone else than for my mom, she'd get upset and jealous. And being upset and jealous just means you really care about someone."

Jeannie frowned. "Mother Rosita?"

Irwin nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! I have two moms. One is the mom who's raised me since I was born, that's Briony. The other is the mom who gave birth to me, that's Mother Rosita."

Jeannie pressed her lips together, taking a moment to process this before asking gently, "Between your two moms, who do you like more?"

Irwin glanced around, then lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Honestly, I like the mom who raised me more. But I can't say that out loud. Mother Rosita would get mad, and when she gets mad, it's scary..."

A flicker of emotion crossed Jeannie's eyes. Then she smiled and affectionately ruffled Irwin's hair.

"I don't know your Mother Rosita, but I think the most important thing for a child is to be honest. If you need your mom, you should be brave and tell her. You don't have to act a certain way just to test her feelings. That kind of thing can actually hurt the people you care about, and it might even push them further away."

Irwin stared at her in surprise. "Really?"

"Really," Jeannie said warmly. "So, these past few days, you've been clinging to me and ignoring your mom on purpose? You were trying to test her?"

Irwin nodded sheepishly.

Jeannie let out a soft, helpless laugh. "I thought you just liked Ms. Radcliffe so much."

"I do like Ms. Radcliffe," Irwin admitted, sighing, "but a teacher isn't the same as a mom. I love my mom-no one could ever replace her."

Jeannie smiled, gently patting his head in encouragement. "In that case, next time you see your mom, don't ignore her on purpose, okay? Let's be honest and brave little ones, all right?"

"I got it," Irwin promised.

much better. He called Stewart to ask when his mom would be coming

wouldn't be coming today—she

Briony was sick, he demanded to

to pick him up, and the two of them headed

really wasn't

the last few days. This morning, she woke up dizzy and

studio lately, thinking she'd wrap things up before heading to Silveridge in a few days. With so much to finish, she hadn't

wanted her to go to the hospital, but Briony figured it was just the usual fatigue and dizziness that came with pregnancy-nothing worth making a fuss

studio, so he brought her back to Skybreeze Retreat. With Marlene and Gina around to help, he felt more at ease leaving Briony

straight to bed

homemade chicken soup. After finishing it,

when Stewart and

they didn't even make

know she's taught everything she needs to the new nanny. She won't be coming

narrowed. "She doesn't have to come to Southcreek Manor, but

Not sick at all. But thanks for your concern-no need to trouble yourselves." With

door, his eyes

bowed, not

was upset and gave his hair a gentle

new baby finally go to heaven? He missed the days when it was just him and his

home, Irwin mulled things over in the backseat until he drifted off

woke, he found himself back

was nowhere in sight; only Ms. Radcliffe was