Chapter 3: Raindrops of Uncertainty

As Max quietly entered the house, he noticed Emma lying on the couch, fast asleep. Concern washed over him as he saw the traces of tears on her face. Wanting to ensure her comfort, he tiptoed closer, grabbing a soft blanket from the nearby closet.

With a gentle touch, Max draped the blanket over his sleeping mother, ensuring she would stay warm and cozy. Just as he finished, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen and saw that it was a call from his father.

Max quickly answered the call, listening intently for a moment. After a brief exchange, he ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket.

Feeling a mix of emotions, Max made his way to his room. The weight of the evening's events lingered in his mind as he climbed into bed. With thoughts swirling in his head, he fell asleep, his mind still occupied with the complexities of his parents' relationship

The next morning, Emma awoke to find a warm blanket draped over her. A smile graced her lips as she saw Max bustling in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. She quietly approached him from behind, wrapping her arms around him in a tender embrace.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Emma whispered, her voice filled with affection. They shared a moment of silent connection before sitting down to enjoy breakfast together. As Emma got ready for work, Max hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Hey, Mom," Max began, looking slightly uncertain. "I got a call from my father yesterday while you were sleeping."

Emma turned to face him, her curiosity piqued. "And what did he say?" she asked, her voice filled with a mix of emotions.

Max took a deep breath before responding, "Well, he mentioned that he'll be going overseas after he signs the divorce papers."

Emma's brows furrowed as she processed the information. She looked at Max, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Your father can't even go to another city without me, and now he's going overseas," she said, a touch of playful sarcasm in her voice.

As Emma reached for the doorknob, ready to head out for work, Max's next words caught her off guard. "Oh, and Mom," he added, his tone serious. "He said he's planning to take Jenny with him."

Emma paused for a second, her heart pounding with a mix of emotions. "He can't take my daughter away from me," she whispered defiantly.

And with those words echoing in her mind, Emma left the house.

After Emma went to work, Max received a call. The first thing he heard was, "How did it go?" He replied, "Not well." Jenny, on the other end, responded with a knowing tone, "Expected."

Later in the evening, Emma made a call to arrange a meeting with someone, but they were busy and couldn't meet that day. They decided to meet at a restaurant the following day instead.

The next day, Emma arrived at the restaurant to meet the person she had called. As she entered, she spotted the person waiting for her. She walked over to him and asked, "Why didn't you order something?" He replied, "I've stopped eating out." Emma insisted on paying for him and encouraged him to order, but he remained firm in his decision to abstain from eating out.

After Emma ordered coffee for herself and insisted he at least have a drink, they sat down. With a determined expression, she came straight to the point and said, "You are not taking Jenny away from me." The person she was talking to turned out to be James. He replied, "Why is that?"

Emma's frustration grew as she revealed, "Max told me that you called him and said you were taking Jenny with you!" The revelation left James in a state of bewilderment. He burst into laughter, realizing that he had been tricked by their children's playful deception.

Amidst the laughter, Emma's irritation slowly transformed into relief and amusement. She playfully scolded James, "You fell for their prank! They got you good." James couldn't help but join in the laughter, acknowledging that his children had succeeded in pulling a fast one on him.

James's expression softened as he responded to Emma's statement. "I'm not going overseas, Emma. Who even told you that? I never said anything about leaving or taking Jenny away."

Emma paused, her anger dissipating as she processed his response. Confusion washed over her face. "But Max told me that you called him and mentioned taking Jenny with you. I don't understand."

James looked at Emma with a gentle expression. "Emma, it seems like there has been a misunderstanding. You must have heard or interpreted something incorrectly."

As James excused himself and headed to the washroom, Emma's mind raced with thoughts and emotions. A sudden realization struck her, and a surge of determination coursed through her veins

Realization dawned upon Emma as she hurriedly left the store, leaving the umbrella behind. Determined and consumed by a wave of emotions, she starts walking towards her house in the pouring rain.

The droplets cascaded around her, drenching her hair and clothes. She paid no mind to the discomfort, her focus solely on the thoughts swirling in her mind.

With each raindrop that soaked her clothes, Emma's heart grew heavier. She had come to understand that her children, Max and Jenny, didn't want their parents to go through a divorce. The revelation left her feelings entangled and uncertain, questioning the rightness or wrongness of her choices.

As Emma walked along the rain-soaked streets, she realized she had left the umbrella behind. The rain poured down upon her, drenching her completely. Her emotions were in turmoil, and she questioned whether her tears mingling with the raindrops were a reflection of her inner pain or merely the result of the downpour. Only she could discern the true nature of her tears in the midst of the pouring rain.

To be continued...