Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Jeannie looked at Irwin, her hazel eyes warm with a gentle smile.

"Irwin, do you know why your father doesn't want you to be around your mother?"

Irwin shook his head.

"It's because he's worried she might be a bad influence on you."

Irwin froze, startled.

"Do you remember how old I was when I first came to Southcreek Manor?"

Irwin nodded. "I remember. I was five."

Jeannie smiled softly. "Right. And do you remember how, back then, you used to have nightmares all the time?"

Irwin thought hard, vague memories surfacing. He nodded slowly.

"But I can't really remember what those nightmares were about."

"You were just a little boy then-it's normal that you don't remember everything." Jeannie's voice was patient and kind. "You would cry in the middle of the night, and when I asked you what was wrong, you told me everything. At the time, I thought it wasn't my place to say much-after all, they were your own grandmother and mother."

his voice small. "Ms. Radcliffe, what

her expression turning serious. "You told me your grandmother gave you a 'magic stone.' She asked you to hide it under Mom Bryn's

widened

others, especially the ones that leave a mark, never truly disappear. As Jeannie spoke, a vivid image formed in

a baby boy, and

head. "That wasn't a magic stone

confusion. "What's a radioactive

explained gently. "It's illegal here your

contact can cause cancer. And at the time, Mom Bryn was pregnant. Exposure to something like that is especially dangerous for a

up in Irwin's eyes. "Was it my fault? Did I kill Mom Bryn's

for him. "No, Irwin, don't think that way. Yes, you put the stone there-but you were just a child. You had no

furrowed as he tried to piece it together. After a moment, clarity dawned on

was because

"Your grandmother is your mother's mother. She wouldn't have done something like

face. "Why would Mom want to

Bryn had a baby, her