Chapter 12
910 Words
JANICE'S POV
I spend the entire night staring at my phone. The screen goes dark and lights up again, sleep never comes because one thought keeps repeating endlessly inside my head.
Eden is asking questions he was never supposed to ask and he's getting answers.
By morning my apartment looks like a disaster zone.
Old folders cover the kitchen table beneath scattered documents, receipts, medical paperwork, storage slips, and hospital forms that feel far too dangerous to leave untouched.
I kneel beside an old storage box while panic crawls steadily higher inside my chest.
What still exists, what did I forget, what could lead back to Chloe and what could lead back to Jack.
My hands shake slightly while sorting through papers too quickly, nothing feels buried anymore.
The secret survived because nobody looked closely enough.
Now Eden is looking and once Eden focuses on something, he doesn't let go easily.
I shove another folder closed too hard.
Jack wanders sleepily into the kitchen wearing dinosaur pajamas and immediately freezes.
"Whoa."
I force my expression softer instantly. "Good morning."
"Why does it look like paper exploded?"
A laugh almost escapes me. "Cleaning."
"Okay mommy"
Jack climbs onto a chair and steals half my toast without permission and he chews thoughtfully for a second then asks,
"Are you working today?"
"Yes baby."
"Can I stay home forever instead of school?"
"Absolutely not."
He sighs like life has personally betrayed him.
I watch him while he eats and the sight steadies me slightly.
By the time I arrive at the hotel exhaustion drags behind every movement.
The kitchen instantly feels too loud and Celine notices me within seconds.
She narrows her eyes immediately. "You look terrifying."
"Good morning to you too."
"You haven't slept."
"I slept."
"You blinked before answering."
I grab an apron and Celine follows me anyway.
"That's new."
"What is?"
"You lying badly."
I almost laugh instead I start organizing prep stations too aggressively.
Celine watches silently for a second then asks quietly, "What's happening?"
The question lands harder because for one dangerous second I almost tell her.
Everything rises at once, Chloe, Eden, Jack, the lies, the years, the guilt and the truth climbs painfully high into my throat before fear crushes it back down again.
"Nothing."
Celine studies me carefully, she doesn't believe me but thankfully she lets it go for now.
Chan appears carrying inventory sheets. "One of the suppliers screwed us again."
"Which one?"
"The annoying one."
"That narrows absolutely nothing down."
Chan looks at me for a second longer than usual then takes the clipboard from my hand. "I'll handle inventory."
"I can handle inventory."
"You're alphabetizing salt packets."
I glance down, damn it and he sighs.
"Go focus on not looking like you're about to commit murder."
Despite everything, warmth flickers briefly through my chest because under the sarcasm, they're helping me even when they don't understand why.
The rest of the morning passes in a blur then school sends home flyers for Family Day.
Jack reads the paper while sitting at the kitchen counter later that evening.
The flyer lists parents, activities, games, and family presentations, and Jack's excitement builds more with every word he reads.
"Mama, they're gonna have dinosaur cupcakes."
"Life-changing."
"And parents race each other."
"That sounds horrifying."
Jack ignores me then he says casually, "Maybe....... the man from the picture can come too."
My coffee nearly slips from my fingers, he mug hits the counter too hard and coffee splashes everywhere.
Jack blinks. "You okay mom?"
"Yes baby."
My heartbeat pounds violently now.
Jack keeps talking without noticing. "He looks tall enough to win races."
I grip the counter harder. "Jack....."
"Or maybe he's bad at running."
"Jack."
He finally looks up. "What?"
I force air into my lungs slowly. "We're not talking about that picture anymore."
His expression falls slightly. "Okay."
That night everything gets worse as my babysitter cancels for emergency, no replacement and the kitchen is already understaffed.
I stare at my phone in disbelief then at Jack then at the clock then back at Jack.
"You have to come to work with me."
Jack gasps. "The fancy hotel?"
"Yes."
"Can I wear sunglasses?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you're five."
"That's.......not cool." Despite myself, I laugh quietly.
Thirty minutes later he sits inside my office at the hotel surrounded by coloring books and dinosaur toys.
I crouch in front of him seriously. "You stay here."
"I know."
"You stay quiet."
"I know."
"You do not leave this office."
Jack nods confidently. "I'm basically a ninja."
I should really know better.
Exactly twelve minutes later I realize the office is empty. "Jack?"
Nothing, my pulse spikes violently as I move through the hallway too fast, past the kitchen, past storage and past terrified interns trying not to get run over.
Then I see my office door standing open and Eden standing outside it.
Jack sits cross-legged on the floor surrounded by dinosaurs completely relaxed and unaware he's shaving years off my life.
He looks up. "Hi."
Eden smiles before he can stop himself. "Hi."
I stop several feet away, hidden briefly around the corner unable to move because the scene unfolding in front of me feels dangerously natural.
Jack proudly lifts a dinosaur sketch. "My mom says I ask too many questions."
Eden laughs softly. "What kind of questions?"
Jack thinks seriously for a second then answers honestly.
"The ones about my dad."
Everything inside me stops.
- Writer
