Meant to be

The Second That Lasted a Lifetime

Jodie lounged around the house exhausted and tired of looking after Callie the five hours she'd been here. The prospect of having to do this every minute of everyday made her shudder. Thank God she only had to have her like twice a month. Her exams were important to her, they were only around the corner yet here she was trying to do the maternal thing or whatever. Jodie felt that no one actually gave her credit, for putting aside study time to do this.

She actually tried to entertain the toddler but neither of them got along with each other, neither of them were enjoying themselves. Jodie didn't feel any connections to her daughter and Callie felt wary of them woman she saw twice a month called Mummy. It was one of the rare occasions where Jodie had been grateful to see Evie turn up.

The gratitude dissipated and was quickly replaced with a sharp pang of resentment and then felt disconnected when Evie arrived.

She watched the excitement in her daughter's cherub face when she made eye contact with Evie, racing to embrace her, Evie held Callie tightly kissing her cheek and lifting her up in genuine joy. To any outsider it would look like a sweet moment shared between mother and daughter. But Jodie pursed her lips, pretending it didn't bother her. It shouldn't bother her, Evie put in all the work and hours in raising Callie, it made sense that Callie loved Evie more.

Yet it did bother her.

Mason chose Evie over her and now her own flesh and blood was choosing Evie over her.

"Take something of mine, I take something of yours" Jodie smiled to herself.

Her scheming memories were cut short by her phone ringing on the counter, she was surprised but happy to see Mason's name light up her screen. Perhaps he'll apologise for not coming to collect Callie himself instead of sending Evie, she thought. Picking up the phone eagerly, pressing it to the side of her face, waiting to hear his voice.

"Hi Mase" she spoke as lusciously as she could trying hard to convey just how sexy she was in those two words alone. But she was met with silence, then she heard voices, Mason and Michel, she rolled her eyes realising it was a butt dial. Now Jodie was about to hang up till she heard Michel's voice clear as day as he yelled.

"YOU'RE GOING TO ASK EVIE TO MARRY YOU?"

Jodie's body stiffened, she froze like she'd been stabbed with an icicle at the pit of her stomach, she felt cold.

Mason was going to marry Evie?

That would make Evie Callie's stepmother and she would be history.

She listened to the rest of the conversation, wondering what she could do to intervene.

Clearly Jodie needed more time to show Mason that she was just as good a contender for his hand in marriage as Evie was.

Jodie genuinely believed that Mason could love her if he actually tried, she couldn't see why he wouldn't try. After all she's the mother of his child? Coming from a broken family it constantly baffled her why Mason  wouldn't want a traditional family. It never occurred to Jodie that Mason might want to start a family with someone he loves, even though he'd told her exactly that.

When the conversation between Mason and Michel moved away from marriage Jodie hung up. Feeling faint she sat on the floor against the wall drawing her knees tightly to her chest, trying to steady her breath.

What was she going to do?

She couldn't let Evie steal the life that was meant for her.

She couldn't and she wouldn't.

Jodie had come so far, she just couldn't give up now, isn't that what the gospel song said or something?

Moping won't solve my problems, she thought.