Housewife Gone Wild by Thanddeus Embereley novel Chapter 19

Chapter 19

My morning dance class left me drenched and pleasantly loose–limbed.

Come noon, I called Sally about whether Yvonne was coming home.

“Yvonne’s at the amusement park with Tracy,” Sally informed me. “You should give Tracy a call.”

Tracy had become like a second mother to Yvonne–genuinely devoted and always making time for her.

Not that I hadn’t been that mother once. There was a time when my world revolved around parent–teacher conferences and bedtime stories too.

I didn’t call Tracy. If my daughter smiled more with her, who was I to interfere?

I was about to eat alone when my phone buzzed with an unknown number.

“Hello. Is that Victoria Murphy?” The male voice on the line was warm and unfamiliar.

“Speaking,” I answered automatically before catching myself. “May I ask who’s calling?”

“I’m the student you sponsored years ago.” The earnestness in his voice prickled my skin. “I was hoping we might have lunch today.”

The pause stretched too long. I’d never wanted gratitude, and now wasn’t the time to revisit the past–not when I had my own reasons to keep my distance.

In my previous life, I’d seen enough online stories about scholarship recipients turning on their benefactors to last a lifetime.

“It’s just lunch,” he said, lowering his voice when he caught my hesitation. “No strings attached.”

“I’m married,” I said quickly. “Meeting men alone… it wouldn’t look right.”

“Bring a friend then,” he offered.

Though I could hear the genuine gratitude in his voice, I calmly refused. “Meeting isn’t necessary. The best repayment is you succeeding,” I said, and hung up before he could argue.

I enjoyed a peaceful lunch by myself. At three in the afternoon, Jared called. “Yvonne fell. Her leg’s hurt. Meet us at the hospital,” he said, his voice tight.

“How?” My stomach dropped.

“She tripped.” As soon as he finished, the hospital location appeared on my screen.

As Yvonne’s mother, I knew she needed me there.

When I arrived at the hospital, Yvonne was curled against Jared, quietly crying with her leg bandaged. Tracy sat nearby, her face filled with guilt.

As 1 entered, Yvonne immediately reached for me, her small voice breaking. “Mom, hold me.”

1 sat on the edge of the hospital bed and cradled her close.

1/3

“I’m so sorry,” Tracy said, her voice thick with remorse. “I should have been watching her more closely when she fell.”

Jared spoke up to comfort her. “We all know how Yvonne is, always climbing where she shouldn’t. This wasn’t your fault.”

Tracy’s eyes grew red as silent tears fell.

Yvonne must have cried herself to exhaustion. She fell asleep in my arms within moments.

Jared watched me carefully, clearly worried I’d blame Tracy. “Victoria,” he said quickly, “Tracy was just trying to help with Yvonne. Don’t be hard on her.”

“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Holcomb.” Tracy’s voice trembled with tears.

They both held their breath, waiting for my reaction. In my previous life, when Yvonne was my entire world, I would have torn Tracy apart for letting Yvonne get hurt. Now I barely had the energy to care.

I smoothed Yvonne’s tousled hair and then turned to Tracy. “Thank you for watching her. She’s a handful even for me.”

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