“You’re the one who ruined him,” my new husband’s ex-wife accused me.
“Mum, why does Theo have a different last name?” Max asked, flipping through his stepbrother’s school diary.
Natalie froze over the pot of beef stew, the ladle hovering in her hand. The question hung in the air like a taut string. Max sat at the kitchen table doing his homework, not even looking up as he waited for her answer.
“Because he has a different dad,” she replied quietly, stirring the stew.
“Wheres his dad?”
“He lives separately.”
Max finally looked up from his notebook, studying his mother with sharp eyes. At eleven, he understood more than Natalie wished he did.
“Why does Theo cry at night sometimes?”
Her heart clenched. Of course she knew. Seven-year-old Theo often sobbed into his pillow in his sleep. The child psychologist said it was the stress of divorce and adjusting to a new stepdad.
“Its hard for him to get used to our new family,” she said, turning off the stove.
“It was easy for me to get used to Steven,” Max remarked. “Hes great, right?”
Natalie smiled. Steven *was* a wonderful husband and father. After her first divorce, shed raised Max alone for three years, working two jobs, passing out over his homework from exhaustion. Then shed met Steven at a parents’ eveninghe was divorced too, raising his son, Theo.
Theyd taken things slowly, both afraid of making another mistake, of hurting the kids. But love had been stronger than fear.
“Natalie, Im home!” Steven called from the hallway.
“Dads back!” Max grinned, darting off to greet his stepdad.
Natalie watched him go. Max had accepted Steven so easily. But with Theo, it was different.
Steven stepped into the kitchen, kissed her temple.
“Hows everything? Wheres Theo?”
“In his room. Steven, we need to talk,” she lowered her voice. “Olivia called today.”
His face darkened. Oliviahis ex-wife, Theos mum. Every call from her was a storm.
“What now?”
“She wants Theo this weekend. Says hes changedclosed off, struggling in school.”
“And what did you say?”
“What *could* I say? Of course she can take him. But she implied…” Natalie hesitated.
“Implied what?”
“That its my fault. That Im not good to him.”
Steven sighed heavily, sinking into a chair.
“Natalie, you know thats not true. Youve tried to be a good mum to him from day one.”
“I try. But is it enough?” Her voice wavered. “Max took to you straightaway. Theo still flinches from me like Im a stranger.”
“Give him time. Its different for him. Max remembers how hard you had it alonehes glad youve got someone. Theo had both parents until his world fell apart. Plus, Olivias poisoning him against you.”
She knew. After their wedding, Stevens ex had declared war. She couldnt stand him being happy with someone else.
“Remember when she turned up at our wedding?”
Steven grimaced. Of course he remembered. Olivia had stormed in mid-ceremony, demanding Theo back, screaming that Natalie had stolen her familyeven though Steven had been divorced six months when they met.
“Shell never let go,” Steven said tiredly. “But well handle it. Just keep her away from the kids.”
Theo appeared in the doorwaysmall, fair-haired, with sad eyes. He hovered, unsure.
“Theo, love, come eat,” Natalie said gently.
He shuffled in, sitting as far from her as possible. That familiar ache stabbed her chest. *What am I doing wrong?*
“How was school?” Steven asked.
“Fine,” Theo muttered, staring at his plate.
“Your teacher said youve been distracted.”
Theo shrugged.
“Something bothering you?” Natalie ventured.
He shot her a glance, then looked away.
“Its fine.”
“Theo, Natalies trying to help,” Steven said patiently.
“Shes *not* my mum!” Theo burst out. “Ive got a mum! A *real* one!”
Natalie went pale. Stevens fists clenched.
“Theo, *apologise*.”
“No! Shes *not* family! I dont *want* to live here! I want *Mum*!”
He bolted from the table, slammed his bedroom door.
Natalie covered her face. Steven pulled her close.
“He doesnt mean it.”
“He *does*. And hes right. I *am* a stranger. No matter what I doI broke his family.”
“Natalie, dont. Olivia and I split *long* before you. You know why.”
She did. Olivia had cheated, flaunted her affairs, said marriage suffocated her. But when Steven filed for divorce, shed panicked. Suddenly fought to save what shed wrecked. Too late.
“But Theo doesnt know that. To him, it *started* when I came along.”
“Hell understand when hes older.”
“Until then, Im the villain who stole his dad.”
Max peeked in.
“Mum… Theos crying.”
Natalie met Stevens eyessame helpless pain reflected there.
“Ill talk to him,” he said.
“No. Let me.”
She knocked on Theos door.
“Theo? Can I come in?”
“Go *away*!”
“Please, love. I need to tell you something.”
Silence. Then a tiny, “*Fine*.”
She found him curled on his bed, facing the wall. She sat on the edge.
“Want to hear about *my* dad?”
No reply, but she felt him listening.
“My parents split when I was eighta bit older than you. Dad left for another woman. Mum married Uncle Rob later. Know what I did?”
Theo shifted slightly.
“I *hated* Uncle Rob. Thought if I was awful enough, hed leave and Dad would come back. I broke his things, threw tantrums. Poor Uncle Rob suffered. Mum cried every night.”
Theo turned to her.
“…What happened?”
“I grew up. Realised Dad didnt leave *because* of Uncle Rob. He left because he fell out of love. Uncle Rob just wanted us happy. But I realised too late.”
“Too late?”
“He died when I was sixteen. I never thanked him. Never said I loved him. He was my real dad all those years. And I…”
Her throat closed.
“Aunt Natalie,” Theo whispered. “Do you want me to forget *my* mum?”
“No, sweetheart. Never. Youve only got one mum, and you *should* love her. I just… want us to be happy together. Im not replacing her. I just want to be your friend.”
Theo was quiet a long time.
“…You wont make me call you Mum?”
“Never. Call me what you like.”
“If I miss Mum… you wont get mad?”
“Of course not. Its okay to miss her.”
He sat up.
“Can I… tell you about her sometimes? How nice she is?”
“Always.”
“Will you tell me more about Uncle Rob?”
She smiled through tears.
“Every story Ive got.”
That Saturday, Olivia picked Theo up. Natalie watched from the window as her ex-wife buckled him into her sleek Auditall, polished, in designer heels, everything Natalie in her joggers and cosy jumper wasnt.
Theo waved excitedly. Natalie waved back, forcing a smile.
Steven hugged her from behind.
“Hell come back.”
“I know. Its just… shes so *perfect*. And Im”
“Youre *everything*,” he said. “Theo will see that.”
Sunday evening, Olivia returnedbut instead of dropping Theo at the kerb, she marched upstairs with him.
Natalie opened the door and *knew*something was wrong. Olivias face was twisted with rage.
“We need to talk,” she hissed.
“Theo, go to your room,” Natalie said gently.
“No!” Olivia snapped. “Hell hear what I have to say to your precious *stepmum*.”
Steven appeared at the commotion.
“Olivia, whats going on?”
“This!” She yanked a notebook from her bag. “Your son wrote a school essay*My Family*. Want to hear?”
She read, voice shaking with fury:
*”My family has five: Dad Steven, Mum Natalie, brother Max, me, and my real mum Olivia. Mum Natalies really kind. She cooks my favourite meals and helps with homework. She doesnt make me call her Mum, but I know she loves me. I love her too. Mum Olivias pretty and has fancy dresses, but shes hardly ever home. Mum Natalies always there when I get back from school
