Flashback

"I don't want a single cent from you." Rhea snapped as she sat across from Ryder.

Ryder had moved up their divorce hearing to as soon as possible, and they were both still severely hurt after the fortnight of Ryder kicking Rhea out.

"I didn't want to give you anything." He barked at her. "But I decided that I should, even if you had the affair!"

"How many times must I tell -"

"Lie all you want!" He snarled.

Rhea sat back in her chair with her arms crossed. She fought back the tears. "Just give me the documents."

She snatched up a pen and signed where she needed and stood up.

"If I had married you for your money, Ryder, I would have taken it. But I'm not touching it. I don't want anything to remind me of you." She told him before storming out.

Ryder signed the documents as she was leaving, trying to ignore her, but he heard the hurt in her voice and when he was left alone, Rhea's words echoed in his head.

She fought him every time he offered her something, but she refused. Sitting back in his chair, Ryder kept the frown on his face as he thought about everything she said and did. The pain in her was visible and Ryder saw it.

He opened the drawer and looked at the photos that were given to him by an anonymous sender.

Where the photos doctored? They looked real. He moved over to the shredder and turned it on, feeding it every photo he was given as proof of Rhea's affair.

"I'll get you back yet." He said as he picked up the divorce papers. "This ain't the end."

Page by page, Ryder shredded the legal documents.

Now

"What are you doing here?" I sighed as I opened the front door.

Ryder looked drained as he stood on the front porch.

"I can't do this. I have to take Rowan to day care and I have work." I told him as I went back to the kitchen. "Rowan, hurry up!" I said loudly. He had gone of to his room to play with his new cars I bought yesterday.

"Have you told him?" Ryder asked me impatiently.

"Not yet. It's only been two days, Ryder." I answered as I went through Rowan's day care bag.

That was when I saw the box in Ryder's hands. It's the same one he had the other day, but he left with it.

"What's that?"

Ryder lifted his hands. "Something for Rowan." He said.

I groaned loudly. "I don't have time for you to give him toys, otherwise I won't get him out off the house."

"Then let him stay with me."

I frowned at him. "Oh no. You have your own work and I already told you, you won't be alone with him."

"Then play hooky." He grinned. "I am."

I pointed my finger at him. "You can afford the luxury of that, I can't."

"Then tell them you're working from home."

I sighed. "Why are you so persistent?"

Ryder gave me a pointed look.

I checked the time. I'm already late. "Fine." I snapped out as I rang work.

I hung the phone up as I fixed up my blouse, looking at Ryder. "I still have work to do." I told him. "Rowan!" I called out and he came running.

I slipped my heels off as I crouched down to him, slipping an arm behind him. "Rowan, sweetie," this feels weird. I never would have thought I would have to do this.

"Yes Momma?" He looked at me with his gorgeous blue eyes. They were only a shade or two off from being identical to Ryder's.

I played with his hair as I smiled. "We are going to stay home today." I told him. Rowan frowned.

"Why?"

I didn't think he would have mind. He goes to day care five days a week. I thought he would have liked to have a day off. It rarely happens.

"Because someone wants to spend time with you." I looked up at Ryder as he watched us. "If you want to learn something, right now would be the best time." I snapped at him as I took his wrist and pulled him down. "Level eye contact helps a lot with Rowan."

Rowan looked at me then Ryder. "Hi." He said to him.

"Hello Rowan." Ryder replied. "I have something for you." I watched as Ryder gave Rowan the box.

Cautiously, Rowan took it and pulled the lid off, his eyes wide. Rowan pulled it out, eyeing it off. "Wow!" He whispered as I looked at it. It was a small pirate ship. "Look, Momma." He said as he shoved it in my face.

"Rowan, honey. You need to listen." I said softly to him. "You remember Ryder, Momma's friend?"

Rowan looked back at him as he nodded. "Thank you for present."

"That's okay." Ryder smiled.

"Rowan." I called back his attention as his eyes came to mine. He started to drop his lip. "You're not in trouble, baby." I assured him.

"I'm not?"

I smiled at him. "No. Momma is trying to tell you something. You might be seeing more of Ryder."

"Might?" I heard him scoff at me as I ignored him. I only simply rolled my eyes before looking back at Rowan.

"Rowan. This is your dad." Rowan gave out a confusing facial expression before going back to his new toy.

I stood up and spoke to Ryder. "He is only three. He doesn't quite understand it all."

"I thought you said he was two."

"He is." I corrected myself. "Rowan will be three in a week."

"Momma?" I felt Rowan tug at my leather skirt.

"Yes, baby?"

"Play?"

I smiled and nodded as he ran back to his room. "I might not be at work, but I need to do some." I told Ryder as I sat at the breakfast bar. "Since you want to spend time with him, then do it."

****

Dear Sue Cee.

Listen to your heart. Follow your instincts. If you believe it is the correct choice, follow it, run to it, embrace it. If you believe it's not, then assess yourself and ask yourself why isn't it. We can't always follow advice, it's human nature, but we can reason with it. Don't always take advice and blame the person who gave it to you because it was the wrong path. Your friends tell you this stuff because they love and care. If they didn't, they wouldn't say a word. It doesn't hurt to ask for help, but no one is saying you have to follow through. Listen to yourself. It's screaming out to you the answer, you just need to let it be heard.

"Momma!" I dropped my head and groaned. Even when I do work from home, I still take Rowan to day care so I don't have these kind of interruptions.

"Yes?" I asked him as he came running out.

"I'm hungry."

I folded my arms and looked down at him.

"Excuse me?"

"Please."

I got up and went to the fridge and made him a small fruit platter. "Here, this should tide you over till dinner." I said as I helped him in the chair.

Ryder had left two hours ago, spending the day with him, while I worked, until it was Rowan's nap time.

I quickly finished the article and saved it before returning to Rowan. He sat happily, eating some grapes and tried feeding me as I laughed.

"Such a good boy." I told him. "Did you have fun today?"

Rowan nodded as he chewed. I don't know how I'm to handle this whole situation with Ryder and Rowan. I don't know if it was still a good idea to introduce Rowan to his father. I've been doing this alone for a while now and I'm comfortable with that.

At first, when Rowan came along, I wasn't. I would curse Ryder every time I cried, but now, I like my life. Just Rowan and me. But now it isn't. I just don't want Rowan to get hurt by Ryder.

****

"There you are!" Jan said as I rushed to my little office.

I placed my bags down and looked at her confusingly. "What? I'm on time." I told her as I looked at my watch.

"Did you forget about the staff meeting this morning?"

My eyes widened as I gasped loudly. "Oh no!"

Jan looked at me crossly. "Oh yes!"

"Oh no. I'm so sorry. I've had so much going on lately and between this, my son, my ex..." I started rambling on.

"Well, the new owner for the magazine is here. He will probably want to meet you."

"New owner?" I inquired.

Jan dropped her arms as she shook her head. "Was your head in the clouds or something? I told you last week."

"Oh, I thought that was another day. Not today." I pretended I knew as I gave her a wide fake smile.

"No. It's today. He will be looking for you, since you weren't at the meeting." Jan warned as she walked out.

I groaned as I sat at my desk, my head in my hands. Luke Johnson is here! Great. This is what happens when I don't come in for a day. I miss my memos because I rather not have them delivered to my calendar thanks to the person who knows no personal space, Ryder.

I heard a tap at my door as I lifted my head and was surprised to see someone I didn't know standing there.

"Can I help you?" I asked as I sat up.

"Rhea Matthews?" The young man asked me. His tall frame covered most of the doorway as I just stared and nodded. "Luke Johnson." He smiled.

Wait, what? I gave him a frown and he immediately chuckled as he walked in. "Not what you're expecting?"

"Huh, well, no." I admitted. "I was expecting..." Not him! I gave out a nervous smile.

"My father. No, I'm here, scoping out the new magazine he purchased."

I stood up as Luke walked in and I shook his hand. "Hello and welcome."

"So you're the mysterious R?" He grinned as we both sat down.

"Yes."

"Let me say that I'm a fan of your work. I'm assuming you have worked in psychology before coming here?"

I was shocked by the compliment. "Uh, no."

"I wouldn't have guessed." He smiled again. "So tell me, how did you land a job like this?"

I felt myself blushing. "Well, just luck, really. I've been here for over three years."

"I know when you got here." Luke leaned back as he crossed his arms. I really like his smile. It was enchanting. His light brown hair was just like Rowan's, flat and floppy, but shorter and thinner. "I've read all the employees resumes and records. You started here and then only after four months, you took unpaid holiday leave, then a very good, impeccable in fact, record. Only a couple sick days since you've started."

"Thank you." I told him.

"I am surprised that you were allowed holiday leave after only being here for four months."

I raised an eyebrow smiling at him. "Interested?"

Luke gave me a smug look. "In fact I am." He said boldly as I brushed hair off my face.

I kept my expression in place as I stayed silent a bit longer. "Mr Johnson,"

"Oh no, Luke."

"Luke. You must know, despite my rare sick days, every now and then I work from home."

"Busy home life as well?" He probed at me.

"Some days, you have no idea." I smiled as I tilted my head. "I have a nearly three year old son that sometimes requires me to stay home."

I saw Luke surprised by my statement. "You have a son?"

I nodded as I started going through my daily mail. "I do, hence the unpaid holiday leave." I ripped an envelope open.

"Fair enough."

"You don't have to worry though, it won't affect my work. I had a home day yesterday and managed to do my quota." I assured him.

Luke smiled at me. "I'm not concerned about that. In fact, I really enjoy reading your column every week. I also own a newspaper and was wondering if you'll be interested in having a whole page in there as well."

My eyes went wide. "Pardon? You want me to appear in your paper as well?" My hand flew to my chest. Oh wow!

"I'm thinking a small section in Wednesdays edition with the horoscopes and stuff and a full page in every Sunday edition."

"Really?"

"But, first, you need to achieve to get your masters."

I nodded excitedly. "Of course!" I've been wanting to do that for a while now. "I'm gonna have to cut back on the column here then." I realised as I muttered.

"Don't worry about that, I'll talk to Jan. People love your work, Rhea. Also, are you willing to remove your pen name?"

"My pen name?" It was only really there to hide myself. "I guess I can."

"Excellent. So stay on the course of Soul, study for your masters and then we will start with Wednesdays editions, working on to Sundays as well. So this is our goal for the next six months."

I nodded eagerly. A sudden weight lifted off my shoulders. Not only is my job safe, but it's about to get more hectic as well.

"Well, that is if you can handle it?" Luke eyed at me.

"Handle it?"

"This job, studying, parenting. Wouldn't your husband be calling for attention too?"

I laughed at his question. "That's sweet." I told him. "There is no husband for any attention. Just me and my boy."

"So there isn't any excuse for denying an invite for Saturday night?"