Chapter 3
1997 Words
The soft hum of cartoons filled the hotel suite as I stirred awake. Blinking against the sunlight streaming through the window, I turned to see Theo sitting on the floor.
“Morning, buddy,” I said, my voice thick with sleep as I swung my legs over the side of the bed.
“Morning, Mommy!” he chirped back, flashing me a bright smile.
I managed to return the smile, though the weight of the previous night pressed heavily on my chest. "How about we grab some breakfast?”
“Pancakes?” he asked, his eyes lighting up.
“Pancakes,” I agreed, grateful for even this small distraction.
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The dining area was buzzing as we found a small table near the window.
Theo was happily engrossed in his plate of syrup-drenched pancakes, while I sat sipping coffee, trying to focus on the moment rather than the mess of emotions swirling in my head.
“Mommy,” Theo said suddenly, breaking me from my thoughts.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Why aren’t we at home?” His big blue eyes met mine, curious and filled with innocence. “When are we going back?”
I took a deep breath, my heart twisting. “Well, we’re going on a little adventure,” I said, forcing a cheerful tone. “Just you and me. Doesn’t that sound fun?”
He tilted his head, considering. “An adventure?”
“Yep,” I said, wiping syrup off his cheek. “We’re going to stay in some new places, see new things, and have so much fun together.”
He seemed satisfied with my answer and nodded, turning his attention back to his pancakes.
"Alright, kiddo," I said, ruffling Theo’s hair. "How about we take a trip to the mall today? We need to pick up a few things."
His eyes lit up. "Can we get those new snake snacks for school?"
I smiled. "Snacks, a lunch box, and maybe even something cool to wear."
He grinned, clearly on board with the plan, and within the hour, we were weaving our way through the bustling mall.
First stop was a department store, where Theo picked out a lunch box covered in superheroes. He beamed as he held it up.
We moved on to snacks, loading up on his favorites—granola bars, fruit, juice boxes and ofcourse those new special snakes.
From there, we moved on to clothing. After grabbing a few things for Theo I realized I needed somethings too.
I wandered into the women’s section, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the racks of stylish clothes. For so long, I hadn’t cared much about what I wore. Greg had always preferred practicality over fashion—at least when it came to me. But now, standing there, I realized I didn’t have to care about what he thought anymore.
I pulled out a fitted blazer in a soft cream color and held it up. It felt right—professional, stylish, but still me. I added a few blouses, trousers, and even a pair of dark-wash jeans that hugged me in all the right places. I grabbed a few pairs of heels for the office.
Next, I moved to the beauty section, grabbing a selection of makeup. It had been years since I’d worn much of it, but I remembered how confident it used to make me feel. I added a hair straightener to the cart, determined to make an effort not for anyone else, but for me.
By the time we finished, Theo and I were both carrying more bags than we could handle. "I think we’ve done enough damage for today," I joked as we headed to the car.
On the way back to the hotel, I glanced at Theo in the rearview mirror. His face was relaxed, his fingers clutching his new lunch box, and I felt a sense of relief wash over me. This was a fresh start—not just for me, but for him too.
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Back in the suite, Theo was parked in front of the TV, watching cartoons with his favourite blanket wrapped around him. I walked into the bedroom, tucked my legs under me on the bed, and satisfied Theo would not overhear. I picked up my phone. Luke’s number was the only one I trusted right now.
He answered on the second ring. “Anna! How’s my favourite sister?”
Hearing his voice, I nearly broke down. “Hey, Luke,” I managed.
“What’s wrong?” he asked immediately. “How’d the anniversary surprise go? Did Greg love it?”
The mention of the anniversary felt like a slap. My throat tightened, but I forced the words out. “Luke, I… I caught him.”
“Caught him?” he asked, confused.
“Cheating,” I said bluntly, wincing at the sharpness of the word. “With Meghan. Last night. In our bedroom.”
There was a pause, followed by an incredulous laugh that quickly turned sharp. “Are you kidding me? Greg? That slimy bastard! And Meghan—wasn’t she supposed to be your best friend?”
“Yeah,” I said, my voice low. “Some friend.”
Luke cursed. “Seriously? Her face is basically a botox ad gone wrong. Those duck lips could scare off wildlife for crying out loud. And Greg that slimy leech had the audacity to go there? Unbelievable.”
Despite the situation, I nearly smiled. “Thanks, Luke.”
“No, I mean it, Anna. Greg’s always been a selfish i***t, but this? On your anniversary? In your own damn house? That’s a whole new level of trash.”
“Yeah, great anniversary…” I mumbled.
“If I see him, he better start running,” Luke said, his tone dark. “Because I swear, Anna, I won’t hold back. I hope you’re not even considering staying with him after this?”
“I filed for divorce last night,” I responded, my tone steadier than I expected. “Online. And I cut him off financially.”
“Hell yes!” Luke practically shouted. “Where are you now?”
“Theo and I are staying at the Worlton Hotel in the city. Greg is probably at home playing house with Meghan.”
Luke scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. “Playing house? More like playing with a walking plastic mannequin. But seriously, Anna, he’s the one who should be in a hotel. That house is yours.”
“I don’t care about the house,” I said, shaking my head even though he couldn’t see me. “I don’t ever want to go back there again. I’m putting it on the market.” My words were final, like the weight of a door slamming shut behind me, locking me out of everything that had once been mine.
Luke’s voice softened slightly. “I get it, Anna. I do. But you can’t let that piece of s**t stay in your house. You can’t let him win like this.”
I paused, letting his words settle. “The sheriff’s on his way to evict Greg from the house as we speak,” I said, a flicker of satisfaction in my voice. “I’ve already called them. The locks are getting changed straight after. But I won’t ever step foot in that house again.”
Luke let out a low whistle. “Wow. You’re not messing around.”
“I can’t afford to,” I said simply.
“Well, looks like Christmas at your house is off the table this year,” Luke said, his tone laced with sarcasm. “But honestly, better no tree than having to deal with Lazy the leech and Daisy Duck under the mistletoe.”
I could not stop the laugh that errupted. Trust Luke to make me feel better at a time like this...
"No, it will just be us this year". I managed to choke out in between my giggles.
“Well,” Luke said after a pause, “I’ve got an idea.”
“What?”
“You remember the family cabin in the hills?”
The memories hit me like a punch to the gut. Snow-covered hills, the creak of the old wooden porch, the sound of Granny and Pop calling us in for supper. After our parents died, Luke and I had been raised by our grandparents in that tiny run-down cabin. It had been cramped and drafty, but it was home—until Granny and Pappa passed.
“Of course, I remember,” I said stiffly.
“Well,” Luke continued, “I’ve been fixing it up. I thought maybe we could spend Christmas there this year. Just us—you, me, and Theo.”
“Christmas at the cabin?” I repeated, incredulous. “Luke, you can’t be serious. That place… I swore I’d never go back there. You know that.”
“I know,” he said gently.
“It’s not just the memories of Granny and Gramps, I still miss them.” I said, my voice tightening. “The locals always treated us like we were charity cases. The poorest orphans in town, remember? They looked down at us like we were some kind of charity case. And then there’s Ethan—” I stopped myself, but it was too late.
“Ethan,” Luke said quietly. “You’re still hung up on what happened with him? You guys were just kids.”
“No,” I said, too quickly. "I honestly have not thought about all that in years. You bringing up the cabin is what reminded me" I lied.
Luke sighed. “Anna, I get it. That place has its ghosts. But it’s also the place we grew up we have good memories there too—it’s about Theo. Don’t you think he’d love the mountains? The snow? The chance to see where we grew up?”
I glanced over at Theo, who was giggling at the cartoon on the screen. He looked so carefree, so innocent.
“I don’t know, Luke,” I said hesitantly.
“You’ll change your mind when you see it,” he said confidently. “It’s not the same place we grew up in. I’ve been working on it for months, Anna. It’s one of the nicest places in town now. Hardwood floors, new furniture, modern appliances—you wouldn’t even recognize it. And trust me, the locals won’t either. Can you imagine the looks on their faces when they see us? The same people who used to pity us and act like we’d never amount to anything?”
I blinked. “You fixed it up? Seriously?”
“Seriously,” he said proudly. “It’s beautiful, Anna. And honestly, it’d feel pretty damn good to show them how far we’ve come. You’ve built a great life. I’ve built a great life. We’re not those poor, struggling kids anymore. They never thought we’d make it, and now? Now, they’ll have to eat their words.”
I couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm. The thought of showing up in the town that had looked down on us with Theo in tow and proving them all wrong was tempting.
“You really think it’s a good idea?” I asked, still uncertain.
“I know it is,” Luke said. “We’ll spend Christmas together, just us, in a place that’s ours. It’s time to make new memories, Anna. Let Theo see the mountains. Let’s take back what was ours.”
I glanced at Theo again, his laughter filling the room. Maybe Luke was right. Maybe it was time to face the past and rewrite it.
“Okay,” I said finally. “We’ll spend Christmas at the cabin.”
“You won’t regret it, Anna. I promise.”
With our christmas plans in place we hang up.
Maybe Christmas in the mountains was exactly what I needed. Maybe this time, things would be different...
- Writer
