“You should.”Cody shrugged.“You’re real good with them.And you like kids.”
All of Cody’s recent conversations had been this way—odd.She wasn’t sure what, exactly, his goal was, though.“If I meet the right man and the timing is right, I guess it’s possible.”
His brow furrowed.“What about Braden?”He sounded frustrated.
“Braden?”If she could figure out what he was after, she might be able to diffuse the situation.“It’s too early to know if he is the right guy,”
“Right.But you should still marry him.Delilah wants to be my little sister.I think that would be cool.He’s nice enough.He likes you.Why isn’t he the right one?”He was getting more and more agitated.
“You like Braden a lot, don’t you?”She took a deep breath.
“Yeah.”Cody slumped in his chair.“You like each other and you like Delilah and you’re always making faces at each other, so why isn’t he right?”
“We’re still getting to know each other, Cody.Marriage is a big deal.I want to make sure I marry someone who will love me, and you, forever.Because you come first.Always.”
“You always say that.It’s not true.”He stood, coming to stand in front of her.“If it was, you’d stay with me and work here and be the one to put me to bed every night.Not Uncle Mike or Gramma or Grampa.You’re my mom.”
Maggie’s heart started to crack.Anger and pain lacedevery word, and every word delivered a blow more powerful than the last.
“Real moms don’t have jobs that make them leave or get them sick.Real moms love their kids and stay with them.”Cody sniffed hard, wiping the angry tears streaming down his face.“But you don’t.You don’t want to be with me.You want to leave.You’re just like my dad.”
Maggie reached out for him.“Cody—”
“Uh-uh.”He stepped away from her.“You say stuff you don’t mean.”
She stood.“I love you so much.You are the most important thing to me in the whole world.”
“Then don’t leave.Don’t go.You could get sick again.You c-could die.”He scowled up at her with tears streaming down his cheeks.“So I don’t believe you.”He sniffed.“I don’t want to talk anymore.Can you go?”He pointed at her door.
She couldn’t leave him alone.He was hurting.“Do you want to talk to Uncle Mike?”
“No.”He shook his head.“I want to talk to Braden.”
“Braden?”That was a surprise.
“I need to talk to him.”He nodded at her.“Can you call him, now?”
She pulled her phone from her pocket.“Okay.”She hated dragging Braden into this mess—a mess of her making.But Cody was upset, too upset to leave on his own.She dialed Braden’s number, relieved when he picked up on the second ring.
“Hey, Maggie.I was just thinking about you.”
Hearing his voice was enough to lose the grip she’d had on her emotions.She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, but she couldn’t do either of those things in front of her son.“Braden.”She tried to steady her breath.
“What’s wrong?Maggie.What do you need?”
“Cody would like to talk to you.”She managed to get the request out without sobbing.
Cody was watching her, his face drawn tight.“Can he come here?”
“I know it’s earlier than we planned, but would you be free to come over now?”She cleared her throat.“I know you’re working—”
“I’m on my way.You okay?”He sounded like he was running.
“I’m fine.”Because she had to be—her son was watching.
“Is Cody okay?”He was definitely running.
“No.He’s really upset and he wants to talk to you.”She stared up at the ceiling overhead, willing her tears away.
