Chapter 21
As evening rolled in, Jolie pulled up to grab Ruby from school, and Zack climbed into the car with her.
“Mom, Little Knight’s coming over! Come out quick!” Ruby burst through the front door, her voice full of excitement.
Zack set his backpack neatly on the couch and sat up straight, a nervous knot in his stomach.
He couldn’t help but wonder what Ruby’s mom was like. She had to be kind and awesome to raise someone as sweet as Ruby, he figured.
Sylvia finished hanging a batch of freshly made medical patches in the backyard. She wiped her hands, and walked into the house.
“Ruby, where’s he?” Sylvia asked.
Her eyes scanned the living room, but when they landed on the little guy on the couch, her smile vanished.
She never knew that Ruby’s beloved “Little Knight“, the one she mentioned every day, was Zack.
Zack’s jaw dropped, then anger surged through him. ‘So she is Ruby’s mom?‘
He glanced at Ruby, a tiny spark of jealousy in his eyes, barely there. Now he understood why this awful woman didn’t want him; she’d given all her love to Ruby.
“She’s my mom! Introduce yourself, please? Say something!” Ruby asked, tilting her head, clueless about the tension in the air.
Zack clenched his teeth, his eyes reddening as he glared at Sylvia.
He’d caught her in the act, and he was waiting for this awful woman to explain herself.
“Go back to your own home,” Sylvia said, her voice cold as ice.
Zack blinked, shocked. Not only did he not get an explanation, but now she was kicking him out.
His nose stung, and he almost ran for the door, but his stubborn side kicked in.
“I’m not here for you–Ruby invited me!” he snapped, lifting his chin.
Ruby, confused, tugged at Sylvia’s shirt, her voice soft and pleading. “Mom, yeah, he’s just visiting. We’re hanging out. Why are you making him leave?”
Sylvia’s heart twisted with mixed feelings, but she couldn’t explain the messy past to Ruby.
She turned away, her face set, and headed to the kitchen. “If you want to hang out with him,
“My mom’s making dinner. Let’s play for now–we’ll eat soon!”
go
ahead.”
Ruby was too little to figure out why Sylvia was upset, so she gave up trying. She ran upstairs, grabbed her favorite toy, and hurried back down.
Zack stole a glance toward the kitchen, muttering under his breath, “She tried to kick me out, but huh! Now she’s cooking for me?”
He sniffed the air, and a sweet, familiar smell hit him.
It was bear cookies. His favorite, mixed with the warm, butter scent of fresh–baked bread.
He hadn’t had those since Sylvia left the Blair family.
He realized this awful woman still remembered what he liked.
A smug little grin spread across Zack’s face, as if the earlier tension was gone. He was sure Sylvia would start fussing over him again, just like before
With that thought, he dropped to the floor and started playing with Ruby and her toys.
“Ruby, wash up for dinner? Sylvia called from the kitchen, her voice gentle as she finished cooking.
“Let’s go eat!” Ruby chirped to Zack, then scampered into the dining room.
Zack started to follow, but Sylvia had only called Ruby’s name—not his. A flash of irritation hit him.
He hung back in the living room, waiting, but Sylvia didn’t call him. Annoyed, he marched into the dining room.
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4:12 PM & D
Chapter 21
There were Sylvia and Ruby, eating warm, fragrant bread at the table, which had just two chairs—one big, one small. No spot for him.
Sylvia looked up at Zack, his face dark, and said calmly, “I’ve already called your dad. Wait by the door–he’ll be here soon to pick you up.”
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