bChapter /bb15 /b

bJessica /breplied with a single “So what” and Brian went silent for a long time on the other end.

Just as she was about to hang up, Brian finally spoke, his bvoice /btinged with exhaustion, “Do you really have to be this cold? bJessica/b, now’s not the time to throw ba /btantrum. Jake’s still in the hospital.

b“/bbAs /bhis motherb, /bshouldn’t you be there for him? Come back. Even if you’re mad at him, he’s hurt and in a hospital bed. Are you really going to hold ba /bgrudge against your own kid?”

Brian bwas /bclearly resentful. He couldn’t understand it. He thought, Just because Jacob bwas /bbeing childish and said he didn’t like Jessica anymore and liked Madeline instead, she, bas /bhis motherb, /bbis /breally letting that get to herb?/bb‘ /b

“I already hired Sylvie, didn’t I? bIf /bJacob wants food, she can make it and take it to him,” bJessica /bsaid.

Hearing Brian go on and on about what she should or shouldn’t do made bJessica /bsuddenly feel bitter. She thought, ‘So being a mother means I’m supposed to sacrifice everything and just suck it up, no matter how much it hurts?‘

Brian was trying to guilt her by pulling the mother card. But he bwas /bJacob’s father too. He said with clear dissatisfaction, “Jake wants your cooking, not anyone else’s.”

JAnd just because he wants it, I’m supposed to drop everything and cook for him?” bJessica /bshot bback /bwith sarcasm.

Brian probably hadn’t expected that answer. He went quiet for a second.

“If he’s that hungry, you’ve still got Madeline, don’t you?” Jessica added. “I’m sure she’ll take good bcare /bof him.”

Brian snapped, “Jessicab, /byou’re his mother. Are you seriously going to let someone else take on that role for you?”

bJessica /blet out a sharpugh. “Now you remember I’m his mother?” Her tone was biting, thick with irony.

Brian’s voice came low through the phone. “Jessicab, /bI’m not trying to fight with you. I don’t bcare /bwhere you are–get back here right now.

“You stayed out all night with that random guy you’re shacking up with, and I haven’t even gone bafter /byou for that. bNow /bour son just wants your cooking-b” /b

Jessica’s eyes turned cold the second he said “That random guy you’re shacking up with” and she hung up without a word.

She thought, ‘Is that what he thinks of me? That the only reason I’d leave the house is to mess around with some random man?‘

“Jessib?/b” Gabri noticed the shift in her expression and pulled her into a hug tofort her.

“I’m hungryb, /bGabi. I want fried chicken with hot sauce, bJessica /bwhined, quickly shaking off her gloom as she clung to Gabrie’s arm.

All of ba /bsudden, she was really craving fried chicken.

Over the past few byears/b, in order to raise her son well, she had brarely /btouched junk food herself. She had even eaten things she didn’t like with a smile in front of him just to bset /ba good example.

Now that she no longer had to take care of bJacob/b, she could eat whatever she wanted.

Gabri let out a snort. “Oh, now you’re bcing /bordersb? /bYou ghosted me for years bover /bsome guy, and now you’re back acting like nothing happened? Fine. Just wait.”

Pouting dramaticallyb, /bGabri mumbled under her breath bas /bshe went off bto /border bJessica /bsome fried chicken.

Then, bJessica’s /bphone buzzed. The countdown lit up on the bscreen/b–11 bdays /bleft.

Another bday /bbwas /bgone. Just eleven moreb, /band she’d be done with Brian for good..

She did ba /bquick mental check of the time and decided to head to the hospital for her prenatal appointment after she bate/b.

bIn /bthe hospital roomb, /bJacob sat sulking on the bed, punching bat /bthe nketb, /bhis voice full of grievance. “I want chowder.”

“Mr. Jacob Atkinson, this is corn chowderb. /bbJust /bbtry /bone more bite,” Sylvie coaxed, lifting a spoonful toward his lips.

Jacob pouted, looking on the bverge /bof btears/b. He took a bsip /band then spit it right out.

“No, that’s not what Mom’s bcorn /bchowder is supposed to taste like,” he sobbed, his btears /bfinally falling. He then cried bout /bto Brian, “bI /bwant corn chowderb./bb” /b

b5.59 /bbAM /b