Emma’s POV

The morning sunlight filtered through the blinds of my new apartment, a modest two-bedroom in a quieter part of the city. It wasn’t what I envisioned when Jeff and I planned our life together, but it was mine now, and it was safe.

Yet even surrounded by the soft hum of normalcy, my chest still ached with lingering fear. The memory of Jason’s frightened eyes, his trembling voice as he recounted his ordeal on the beach, refused to fade.

The kids were adjusting, though not without resistance. Jason and Anna missed the sprawling space of Jeff’s house, the backyard where they played tag, and their his laughter echoing through the hallways.

For them, this move was confusing and unfair, but I couldn’t explain the real reason we’d left.

How could I tell them that staying with Jeff felt like keeping them attached to a storm? That every glance over my shoulder and every pounding in my chest reminded me how close I’d come to losing Jason?

Jason sat cross-legged on the carpet, coloring while Anna leaned over him, her curls bouncing as she giggled. The sound tugged at my heart, bittersweet and beautiful.

“Mummy,” Jason said, his voice bright, “do you think Daddy would like my drawing? I’m making it for him.”

I froze, the words cutting through me sharper than I expected. I forced a smile and crouched beside him, “I’m sure he would sweetheart, you know he loves everything you make.”

“Can we visit him today?” Anna chimed in, her hopeful eyes staring up at me.

I hesitated, unsure how to navigate their questions, “Not today baby. Daddy’s very busy right now, but you can call him later okay?”

Anna’s face fell, and Jason looked at me skeptically, his little brow furrowed, “You always say that Mummy. Daddy wasn’t too busy before. Why can’t we just go?”

The lump in my throat swelled, but I swallowed it down, “It’s complicated Jason. Sometimes grown-ups need time to figure things out.”

“But we miss him,” Jason persisted, his voice cracking slightly. “Don’t you miss him too?”

I reached out to smooth his hair, the ache in my chest deepening, “Of course I miss him but we’re doing what’s best for our family right now.”

Jason didn’t look convinced, but he returned to his coloring. I watched him for a moment before retreating to the kitchen to prepare lunch, my mind racing.

How could I explain to them the dangers that came with staying near Jeff? How could I make them understand that my decision was out of love, not spite?

The weeks that followed were an uneasy balancing act.

Jason and Anna adapted to their daycare, though they still asked about Jeff almost daily. I tried to keep my focus on work, throwing myself into every task, but the gnawing guilt never left me.

One Friday afternoon, just as I was finishing up some emails, my phone buzzed with a message from Jason’s daycare teacher.

“Hi Emma. Just wanted to let you know Jason forgot his art project for Monday. If you have time, you can drop it off before pickup today.”

I sighed, glancing at the clock. It was just past noon, and I had a few hours before the end of their school day. Grabbing the rolled-up paper from Jason’s room, I headed to the daycare, hoping to drop it off quickly and return to my pile of unfinished work.

When I arrived, the laughter of children greeted me as I entered the small, brightly decorated building. Jason and Anna’s teacher met me at the door with a warm smile.

“Thanks for coming Emma,” She said, gesturing toward the play area, “The kids are just finishing lunch if you want to say hi.”

I hesitated, not wanting to distract them, but the teacher’s encouragement convinced me. As I walked toward the open room, my footsteps faltered at the sight before me.

Jeff was there.

He sat cross-legged on the floor, a picture book in his hands and Jason and Anna nestled on either side of him. Jason was leaning against his arm, laughing as Jeff did a silly voice for one of the characters. Anna clapped her hands, her face alight with joy.

My breath caught in my throat, a mix of anger and disbelief coursing through me. What was he doing here?

Jeff glanced up, his gaze locking with mine. His smile faltered, and he slowly closed the book, setting it aside as he rose to his feet.

“Emma,” he began, his tone careful, “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

“That much is obvious,” I snapped, stepping closer, “What are you doing here Jeff?”

“Mummy.” Jason exclaimed, running to me. He grabbed my hand, his face glowing with excitement, “Daddy comes to visit us sometimes. He tells funny stories and eats lunch with us.”

I stared at Jason, my stomach twisting.

Turning back to Jeff, I lowered my voice, “You’ve been coming here without telling me?”

Jeff’s jaw tightened, but his expression remained calm, “I didn’t think I needed your permission to see the kids.”

“They’re not your kids Jeff,” I hissed, my voice rising. “You should have told me considering what happened just recently, I thought you wanted to make sure the kids and I are safe? And then you do this? How long has this been going on?”

Jason and Anna watched us with wide eyes, their confusion palpable. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to lower my tone.

“Jason, Anna,” I said gently, “why don’t you go play for a bit? I need to talk to Jeff.”

“But…. ” Jason started, his lips trembling.

“It’s okay,” Jeff interjected, crouching to their level, “Go on, kiddos. Your Mummy and I will talk for a little while.”

Reluctantly, they obeyed, glancing back at us as they joined the other children.

I crossed my arms, glaring at Jeff, “What were you thinking, showing up here like this?”

“I was thinking about the kids,” He said evenly, “They miss me Emma, you know that and I miss them too. I didn’t want to make this harder on them than it already is.”

“And you thought sneaking around behind my back was the solution? When I clearly told you I didn’t want you around them?” I shot back, “Do you have any idea how this looks?”

“I didn’t want to fight with you,” he said, his voice softening, “I just wanted to spend time with them. That’s all.”

My anger wavered, but the memory of Jason’s terrified face on the beach came rushing back, “You put them at risk, Jeff. Don’t you get that? You can’t just waltz in and out of their lives like nothing’s wrong. You’re supposed to protect them.”

“And I am protecting them,” he said firmly, “By being here, by making sure they know I’m still here for them, no matter what’s going on between us.”

“Jeff…” I started, but my voice faltered. The truth was, I didn’t know how to argue with that.

For a moment, the tension between us hung heavy. I looked at him, really looked at him, and saw the exhaustion in his eyes, the same weariness I felt every day. He wasn’t the enemy, not entirely, but I couldn’t forget the danger he brought into our lives.

“You can’t keep doing this,” I said finally, my voice trembling, “If you want to see them, we need to figure something out. Together, but you can’t just show up unannounced. It’s not fair to them, or to me.”

Jeff nodded slowly, his expression unreadable, “Okay. I’ll stop coming here, but Emma, I’m not giving up on them. Or you.”

“This isn’t about us,” I said, shaking my head, “It’s about keeping them safe.”

He stepped closer, his gaze searching mine, “And what about you? Are you safe Emma? Do you really think running away is the answer?”

I looked away, unable to meet his eyes, “This conversation is over Jeff.”

Without waiting for his response, I turned and walked toward the kids, trying to steady my breathing.

That evening, after the kids had gone to bed, I sat alone in the living room, the weight of the day pressing down on me. Seeing Jeff with Jason and Anna had stirred emotions I thought I’d buried, it was a mixture of longing, anger and guilt.

I wanted to protect them, but I couldn’t deny the bond they shared with Jeff and no matter how much I tried to convince myself otherwise, a part of me still wanted to believe in him.

But belief wasn’t enough. Not anymore.