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Three Chances, Then Gone
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On our son's fifth birthday, I found the texts on Stanley's phone—from his best friend's widow: [Stanley, the kid misses his dad again. When are you coming over?] [Stanley, Archie liked a set of matching family outfits. I already ordered them. Let's wear them together this weekend.] [Stanley, Archie starts school tomorrow. I put your name down under "father." Hope that's okay?] And Stanley? He was all in: [Loretta's asleep. I'll head over now.] [My size is 3XL. Don't get the wrong one.] [It's fine. You two have always been my responsibility.] I stood there, frozen. Then I called him back in from the living room, where he'd been helping Luca open gifts. He didn't deny it. Just hugged me and started rambling. "Hallie's Howard's widow. I promised I'd look out for her and Archie. I know I messed up. It won't happen again." We'd been together ten years. Luca had just turned five. Ending a marriage over a few texts felt dramatic. So I let it slide. Believed him. We even went out to celebrate Luca's birthday. Then his phone lit up on the table: [Stanley, the kid's crying for his dad before bed. I can't calm him down.] Stanley shoved his chair back and walked out—no hesitation. I looked at Luca. He was startled at the noise. And just like that, divorce didn't feel so dramatic anymore.
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Chapter 1
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Three Chances, Then Gone Chapter 10
Hallie stood and grabbed Archie by the arm, yanking him hard."It hurts, Mom! That hurts!"Archie cried out, begging her to be gentler."Hurt? What hurt? You're just as pathetic as your dad! Now get up—Stanley's on his way!"She jerked him again.Stanley'd had enough.He kicked the door open, voice like ice."Hallie Shane. Don't you dare."***Loretta's POVHallie got reported—for child abuse.Stanley told me flat, holding back fury. He'd been played, yeah, but he never blamed Archie. Kid was five. Had Hallie in his head for years.He was just mad. Had Archie transferred to another hospital, brought in a legit child psychologist.Turns out, Archie OD'd on meds. His liver and kidneys? Wrecked.There were needle marks too—inside his thighs, hidden spots.Archie said his mom called it "teaching." Said he wasn't helpless enough, not like she wanted. So whenever Stanley didn't show or ran late, she punished him.Sometimes with needles. Sometimes pinches. Slaps too—but not of
Three Chances, Then Gone Chapter 9
Stanley must've picked up on it too. For the first time, his voice turned cold."Hallie, Loretta's my wife. I think she's great. Don't talk like that again."He hung up before she could get another word in.But seeing real anger in his eyes didn't make me feel better. It just made the bitterness sharper.I always knew he didn't like Hallie.So what?Just 'cause he stood up for me once? Just 'cause he only cared about a kid and not the woman behind him—am I supposed to be moved?No way.He loved me, sure. But he hurt our child.He loved Luca—but still made him swallow his feelings, over and over. Called it being a good boy.Maybe that kind of love was real.I didn't want it.I curled my lip and chucked the divorce papers straight at his face.Before he could even react, I shoved him out the door.The keypad lock slammed shut with a heavy bang.I stared him down through the glass and said, cold and solid—"I've signed the divorce papers. Think it over. If you won't agree,
Three Chances, Then Gone Chapter 8
I don't blame him for picking his buddy's kid over me and Luca, over and over.I don't blame him for not loving me like he used to.This house, this marriage—let's just leave it behind.Clean break.As for Luca... I'll love him ten, a hundred times more.Stanley doesn't matter anymore.Maybe he heard it in my voice—the part that meant done—because suddenly, Stanley choked up."You promised three chances. How can you go back on that?"His hands shook as he tried to set the cake down."I still have one more. You can't divorce me. You can't."Then his foot hit a box. Familiar."What's this?"He bent down, picked it up.His eyes locked on the tear-stained note inside. His pupils started to shake."There. That's your third chance," I said, lips curling into a cold, mocking smile.Luca finally spoke, voice soft but sharp as a slap."Mr. Gibson, you'll never get to give my toys to Archie again."Stanley went pale. Flustered, scrambling—"Let me explain. I didn't give it to h
Three Chances, Then Gone Chapter 7
He looked at Luca, smile warping into something fake and off."Luca, Mommy's drunk. Don't listen to her. Come on, I'll hold you while we cut the cake. Let Mommy rest, okay?"He reached for him, eyes rimmed red.Luca stepped back. Hid behind me, head down, wouldn't look at him.Stanley's smile froze. Like one of those creepy clown puppets in a toy store—too much and not enough at the same time.Kinda ridiculous. Kinda sad.But no one laughed.This wasn't a joke.It was just a divorce.I opened the front door. Pitch black outside.The yard—once neat—was now littered with bags.Stanley's clothes. His shoes. A few everyday things.The toothbrush cup we made the year we got married.After Luca was born, he'd made another—green this time—for the three of us, same little ceramics shop.The towels? From Christmas, two years back.Luca didn't have much allowance, but still begged the maid to take him shopping. He picked out three towels with cartoon characters stitched on them.
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