HEALING THE SCARS

CHAPTER 54

PENELOPE

It has been two months since Ava's panic attack, and while life hasn't been perfect, it feels like things are starting to fall into place. Dylan pulled off what I thought was impossible. He got Andrew, Jason, and Ava into The Townsend Harris School, bypassing the long waiting lists and interviews that had seemed like an impenetrable wall. I remember the day he told me how he walked into the school and demanded answers. He had calmly, but firmly, asked the principal why "his wife" had been misinformed about there being no openings. The principal, recognizing Dylan instantly, had folded without hesitation, granting three spots on the spot.

When Dylan broke the news to me, I felt a happiness I hadn't felt in so long. For once, something went right.

Mabel has finally settled into her new home with Joey and Ava. She looks happier than I have ever seen her, and I can tell it is genuine by the way her face lights up whenever she speaks. Ava and Mabel have grown close. Every morning, Mabel drops Ava off at school, and we meet at the gates after I drop off the boys. It has become a little ritual, one of the few constants in my chaotic life.

Mabel and Joey have reconciled. It took time, but she finally forgave him for leaving. Now she is managing his new hotel in New York, and while she is busier than before, we still carve out time to meet twice a week when we can. I stay occupied with the café, pouring myself into work to distract from the things I cannot fix.

Andrew remains a thorn in my side. He apologized once, a half-hearted effort that barely scratched the surface of the damage done. Beyond that, he remains distant and moody, carrying an anger that I cannot penetrate. I have stopped trying to reach him for now. Every attempt at conversation ends with him walking away, leaving me talking to the air. At least he seems to like his new school, and his grades are holding steady. Small victories, I suppose.

And then there's Dylan. Our relationship is... complicated. It has improved, but we still haven't had the conversations we need to have. He tries to bring them up, but I always deflect, afraid of what might come spilling out if we dig too deep. He moved to New York, buying a penthouse to be closer to Jason. Three times a week, he picks Jason up from school, and those moments with his son seem to light him up in a way I rarely see anymore.

Some nights, he stays in my bed, his warmth and presence an undeniable comfort. But by morning, he is always gone, sneaking out before I wake. Other nights, we have dinner, and then he retreats to his place. It feels like there's a wall between us, one neither of us is ready to tear down. He seems haunted, troubled by something he won't share, and I find myself wishing he would just say it. But then again, I am just as guilty of staying silent.

Today, though, is about Ava. It is her fifteenth birthday, and Mabel and Joey have planned a celebration that I know will blow her away. I dress quickly, grab my bag, and head out of my room. On my way down the stairs, I notice the light is still on in Andrew's room. I knock softly, but as always, he doesn't respond.

I push the door open and find him sitting on the bed, holding a small box in his hands. His lips move soundlessly, as if he's reciting something to himself.

"Andrew, we have to go. We're going to be late," I say, keeping my tone light but firm. He jerks his head up, startled, and quickly hides the box behind his back.

"How did you know you loved Dylan?" he asks, his voice startlingly direct.

I blink, caught off guard. "What?"

"How did you know that you love Dylan?" he repeats, his dark eyes locking onto mine.

"I don't love him," I reply automatically, though even as I say the words, I know they ring hollow.