All because I liked a BOY?

The Call

The morning sun filtered through the sheer curtains of Jeff’s kitchen, casting a soft glow over the modest space. The smell of pancakes filled the air, a comforting scent that always made Isabelle’s face light up with joy. Jeff stood at the stove, flipping the golden-brown pancakes with practiced ease. It was a routine they had fallen into—just the two of them, father and daughter, living in their little bubble of normalcy.

Isabelle, or Izy as Jeff affectionately called her, was in the living room, her sweet voice drifting into the kitchen as she sang along to her favorite cartoons. Jeff couldn’t help but smile. Izy’s presence was like a warm blanket on a cold day, wrapping him in a sense of peace and purpose. She was everything to him—his pride, his joy, his reason for pushing forward despite the weight of the past that he carried.

As Jeff flipped the last pancake onto the stack, his phone buzzed on the counter. He wiped his hands on a towel before picking it up, his heart skipping a beat when he saw the name flashing on the screen: Megan. It had been months since they had spoken, and every interaction with her was like walking through a minefield—one wrong step, and everything could blow up in his face.

Taking a deep breath, Jeff answered the call, his voice steady but cautious. “Hello, Megan.”

There was a brief pause on the other end, then Megan’s voice came through, sharp and to the point. “Jeff, I’ve been thinking. I want to start seeing Isabelle again. Weekends, at least.”

The words hit Jeff like a punch to the gut. He tightened his grip on the phone, his knuckles turning white. This was the conversation he had been dreading ever since Megan walked out on them. She had made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with Isabelle, that she couldn’t handle being a mother. And now, out of the blue, she wanted to be part of Izy’s life?

“What brought this on?” Jeff asked, unable to keep the edge out of his voice.

“She’s my daughter too, Jeff,” Megan snapped, her tone defensive. “I have a right to see her.”

“A right you gave up when you left,” Jeff retorted, the anger bubbling up despite his efforts to stay calm. “You can’t just walk back into her life whenever it’s convenient for you.”

There was a long silence on the other end of the line, and Jeff could almost hear Megan’s mind working, trying to find the right words to sway him. When she finally spoke, her voice was softer, almost pleading. “I made mistakes, okay? But I want to fix them. I want to be a part of Isabelle’s life, even if it’s just for weekends.”

Jeff’s mind raced. He knew Megan was right—she was Izy’s mother, and no matter how much he wanted to protect his daughter from the pain of the past, he couldn’t deny Megan the chance to be involved. But that didn’t make it any easier. Izy was his world, and the thought of sharing her, even for just weekends, felt like a knife twisting in his gut.

“I don’t know, Megan,” Jeff said finally, his voice heavy with doubt. “Isabelle is doing fine, and I don’t want to disrupt her life.”

“I get that,” Megan replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “But I’m her mother, Jeff. She deserves to know me, to spend time with me. I’m not asking for much, just weekends.”

Jeff rubbed his forehead, feeling the weight of the decision pressing down on him. He had always tried to shield Izy from the chaos of their broken relationship, but maybe it was time to let Megan in, just a little. But as much as he wanted to do what was best for Isabelle, he couldn’t shake the fear that Megan would hurt her, just like she had hurt him.

“Megan, this isn’t about you,” Jeff said, trying to keep his voice steady. “This is about what’s best for Isabelle. You can’t just show up one day and decide you want to be a mother again.”

“I know I screwed up, okay?” Megan’s voice cracked, and Jeff could hear the emotion behind her words. “But I want to make it right. Please, Jeff. Just give me a chance.”

Jeff closed his eyes, memories of their tumultuous relationship flooding his mind. It had started out like any other romance—exciting, full of promise. They had met in college, and for a while, everything seemed perfect. Megan was vibrant, full of life, and Jeff had been drawn to her like a moth to a flame. But as time went on, cracks began to appear in their relationship.

The first real fight they had was over something trivial—what movie to watch on a Friday night. But it quickly escalated, and before Jeff knew it, they were arguing about everything. Megan had a temper, and she wasn’t afraid to use it. But it wasn’t until she found out about Jeff’s past relationship with a man that things truly went south.

“You lied to me,” Megan had screamed at him one night, her face twisted with anger. “How could you not tell me you’re... you’re one of them?”

Jeff had tried to explain, to make her understand that his love for her was real, that his past didn’t change how he felt about her. But Megan wouldn’t listen. She was furious, accusing him of betrayal, of leading her on. The arguments became more frequent, more vicious. Every time Jeff tried to bring it up, to have a calm, rational conversation, Megan would shut him down, her words cutting deeper than any knife.

“You’re disgusting,” she had spat at him during one particularly heated argument. “I can’t believe I was with someone like you.”

Those words had haunted Jeff for years. They echoed in his mind every time he looked at himself in the mirror, every time he thought about opening his heart to someone new. The more he tried to make it work with Megan, the more she pushed him away. It was like trying to hold onto sand—the tighter he held, the more it slipped through his fingers.

When Megan found out she was pregnant, Jeff had hoped that it might bring them closer, that they could put the past behind them and focus on building a family. But even then, Megan was distant, resentful. She blamed Jeff for everything—for the stress, for the complications with the pregnancy, for ruining her life. After Isabelle was born, things only got worse. Megan was cold, detached, barely acknowledging Jeff unless it was to criticize or blame him.

When she finally decided to leave, Jeff had been more relieved than hurt. The love that had once existed between them had withered away, leaving only bitterness and resentment. But even though their relationship was over, the pain of her rejection still lingered, like a wound that refused to heal.

And now, after all this time, Megan wanted to come back into their lives. Jeff wasn’t sure if he could trust her, if he could let her back in without risking everything he had built with Isabelle. But as much as he loved her, the thought of letting Megan back into their lives scared him. He didn’t want Izy to get hurt again, but he also knew that it wasn’t fair to deny her the chance to have a relationship with her mother.

“Alright,” Jeff said finally, the word feeling like a heavy stone in his mouth. “Weekends. But you have to show up, Megan. No flaking, no excuses. Isabelle has been through enough.”

“I’ll be there,” Megan promised, though Jeff could still hear the uncertainty in her voice. “I’ll pick her up after school on Friday.”

“Fine,” Jeff said, his voice flat. “But remember, this is about Isabelle, not us.”

“I know,” Megan replied before hanging up, leaving Jeff staring at the phone, the kitchen suddenly feeling too quiet.

He set the phone down, his mind spinning. This was not how he had expected his morning to go. Isabelle was his world, and the thought of sharing her, even for just weekends, felt like a knife to his heart.

He turned back to Izy, who was munching on a pancake, her innocent smile warming his heart. “Can we go to the park today, Daddy?” she asked with excitement.

Jeff forced a smile. “Of course, sweetie. After breakfast, we’ll head out.”

As they sat down to eat breakfast, Jeff couldn’t help but marvel at how lucky he was to have Izy in his life. She was the one good thing that had come from his tumultuous relationship with Megan, and every day she brought him more joy than he ever thought possible. Watching her grow, seeing her little acts of kindness, and hearing her call him “Daddy” were moments that filled his heart with pride.

But as much as he loved her, the thought of letting Megan back into their lives scared him. He didn’t want Izy to get hurt again, but he also knew that it wasn’t fair to deny her the chance to know her motive.