Estre leaned into Jason’s embrace without a word, continuing to coach Isaac as if she hadn’t heard


    his apology. And without him bringing it up, she had almost forgotten about


    1.


    Good thing Isaac stayed. Good thing he had grown up. Otherwise, she would have resented Jason for


    life, they would have been at each other’s throats, neither finding peace in their days.


    It wasn’t until noon, when Autumn called to ask where Isaac had been taken, that they brought Isaac


    back home.


    Noticing Isaac’s growing fondness for Jason, Autumn couldn’t help but mutter, “Looks like you’re a


    proper family now. Guess your dad and I are just spare parts.” Autumn’s expression darkened, but a


    single call of “Grandma” from Isaac turned her frown into a beaming smile.


    After lunch, as Jason took Isaac upstairs to rest, Autumn pulled Estre aside and asked in a hushed


    tone, “Estre, what’s the deal with you and Jason? Are you thinking of getting back together?”


    “No,” Estre replied while collecting the wool that had fallen to the floor. “I’ve agreed to give him a six-


    month trial, that’s all.”‘


    Autumn listened, her brow furrowed in thought before she resumed her knitting, “A trial’s, alright. If it


    doesn’t work out, at least there’ll be no regrets. But Isaac really likes him.”


    She knew her daughter better than anyone. If there was even a sliver of hope, Estre wouldn’t have


    suggested splitting up. The fact that Estre did meant she was probably done for good, with no room


    for a turnaround.


    Giving Jason six months was probably due to the many years they knew each other and the bond


    between their families. Once Estre had truly moved on from someone, she would never look back.


    Rolling up the wool, Estre said, “Mom, Isaac has enough clothes. Plus, you can buy anything these


    days. You don’t need to knit by hand.”


    Autumn kept on knitting, “Can anything bought from a storepare to this? Can it carry my love?”


    With that, Estre stopped insisting, letting her mother do as she pleased.


    Meanwhile, upstairs in the bedroom.


    Jason was soothing Isaac to sleep. As he sat down, he noticed a bottle of pills on the nightstand, the


    box and the stic seal freshly discarded, obviously something Estre


    09.04


    had just opened.


    Thinking it was medicine for Isaac or Estre, he picked up the box, but his expression instantly


    changed at the name on the medicine bottle,


    Thebel read ‘Birth Control Pills.’


    Estre was taking precautions.


    They had talked about it the night before, and he had said to let nature take its course, but she had


    taken measures regardless.


    Holding the pills, a mix of emotions swirled inside Jason, leaving him feeling tight in the chest and


    ufortable. He had thought that after everything, their rtionship was on the mend, and she was


    slowly epting him again. But he had thought too much.


    He hadn’t insisted on a DNA test for Isaac because he trusted Estre and was willing to treat Isaac as


    his own, but he also longed for another child. Not just to have a child, but to give Estre the support he


    hadn’t provided her in the past, to be there during the pregnancy, the birth, the upbringing, to hear their


    child’s first words together.


    Now, that dream seemed shattered by that bottle of birth control pills.


    He had almost forgotten that once Estre had truly closed her heart to someone, it was almost


    impossible to get back in, even if they maintained a rtionship on the surface.


    “Is Isaac asleep?” Estre’s voice broke the silence as she entered the room, noticing Jason holding


    the birth control she had just opened. She walked in nonchntly, and Jason stayed quiet.


    Estre picked up the pills with a chuckle, and teased, “What, you want to try them out? Don’t be shy,


    go ahead.”


    Her casual demeanor made it hard for Jason to bring up the topic. At that moment, he felt he had no


    right to ask her to have another child with him.


    She ced the pills back and mentioned, “Don’t you have a meeting this afternoon? I need to stop by


    the office too.”


    Standing up, Jason offered a ride with a hint of detachment in his tone.


    The car ride was silent, filled with unspoken tension, a stark contrast to their usual banter. Once they


    reached herw firm, Estre stepped out of the car without their customary kiss goodbye. Jason


    simply grunted an acknowledgment, letting her go. Estre walked into the building without looking


    back.


    Watching her disappear, Jason’s difort grew. He understood her, knew their rtionship was still


    fragile, but his heart ached nheless.


    Jason remained stationary, even after Estre’s figure had vanished from his sight. His thoughts were


    consumed by a memory from three years prior, when he had taken


    00.01


    contraceptive measures in secret. He couldn’t help but wonder how Estre must have felt back then.


    At that time, they were a perfectly normal married couple, and she was his wife, his Mrs. Nelson.


    He sat lost in thought downstairs. It was only when Drew’s call came through that Jason shook himself


    back to reality and started the car, heading back to the office.


    In the evening, Estre received a text from Jason. He was going on a business trip for a few days. Her


    reply was a simple [Okay.]


    After that text message, the two of them didn’t have any contact for the next few days.


    Jason didn’t reach out, and Estre certainly wasn’t going to. It was as if he had vanished from her life.


    Estre didn’t overthink it. If Jason was giving up, it was a relief. She wouldn’t have to deal with him


    anymore.


    The silver lining amidst the storm of Jason’s disappearance was that Isaac’s mood remained


    remarkably stable these past few days. He didn’t fall into his old habits of refusing meals or retreating


    into silence. Isaac did, however, keep muttering about Daddy. Estre, opting for honesty, exined to


    him that Jason had gone on a business trip.


    On Saturday, while Estre and Isaac were taking a nap at home, her phone, ced by the pillow,


    vibrated.


    Estre was lost in the depths of slumber, and didn’t catch the sound, but it was enough to stir Isaac


    from his dreams.


    Blinking awake, Isaac noticed the persistent glow and vibration of Estre’s phone. He mbered up


    the bed, poked Estre’s arm and whispered, “Mommy!”


    “Mommy!”


    “Mommy, your phone’s ringing.”


    00-03Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.