Surviving the Pain (A Baby Saved Me Series Book 1) by P. J. Belden Page A

father right now.
    “…Jimmy at school is going to flip out when he knows that my dad is the Sage ‘Iron Fists’ Jacobs.” Ember heard Hudson say just as she walked into the apartment.
    Another thing to mentally add to the ‘question him on’ list. Right now, though, it was time to get supper ready. She had to focus on their routine. She had to keep to that routine. It was what anchored her every single day. The one thing she could depend on.
    “Hudson, do you have homework today?”
    “Yeah,” he answered knowing where it was going.
    “Then you need to go to the room and get it done. I’m starting supper. Go on. I’ll be there in a minute if you need help. Okay?”
    He grumbled, but still turned and walked away and down to his room. Ember busied herself in the kitchen as she pulled out all the things she needed for dinner. Tonight she planned for a roasted chicken, with steamed vegetables and baked potatoes. She’d have to make enough for one more person since she now had a surprise visitor. Sage hadn’t made a sound since they walked in. When she looked over her shoulder, she saw him tracing a picture with his finger, a sad look playing on his face. When he finally spoke, Ember jumped slightly.
    “They give homework in Kindergarten now?”
    “He’s in the third grade.” She answered shortly.
    “But he’s only five,” Sage stated, sounding shocked.
    “Yes, I’m aware of that. I gave birth to him.” She snapped as she turned around to face him. Sage’s face filled with even more sadness and a bit of loss too.
    He dropped his head before looking back up to meet her gaze. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m just shocked is all.”
    Sighing, Ember turned back around to finish chopping vegetables. “When I took him into Headstart, they had tested him to be sure he was ready to start. He tested off the charts. Mom and Dad said it’s because I’m a great mother, but I’m not sure about that. Regardless, there was a meeting held and a few other school board members and me sat in a room talking about his academics and it was then decided that a private school for gifted children would probably be his best and safest bet. Kids are so mean these days. So, he has most of his tuition paid for, but there’s still about twelve hundred dollars a year that I have to come up with. Which is really nothing compared to the amount that it costs to go there. I’ll do anything to make sure he has the best life, so it was the easiest decision.”
    “He’s an incredible kid,” he finally said as she was putting the chicken in the oven. The vegetables were already going in the steamer her parents had gotten her, and the baked potatoes had already been in the oven about ten minutes prior. “Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant, Ems. That day in the club, why didn’t you say anything?”
    Whirling around in the middle of drying her hands, her mouth dropped open. “Are you serious? I searched for you for nineteen weeks because you quit contacting me! My father cashed in favors to help me find you! When I do, you tell me you just used me for sex and that you never wanted me. Why the hell would I tell you about my son when you just ripped out my heart?”
    “He’s my son too, Ember,” he hissed at her. “You kept him from me for five years and want to act as if I was never around.”
    “You weren’t!” She screamed. “You had no contact with me until he was two! Two, Sage! When he turned four, I told him all about you. However, the only thing I never told him was the hurt and pain you caused. How you walked away from me with no regrets, no problems. I didn’t tell him how broken I’ve been and how damn lonely! Don’t stand there and act like you are some kind of victim here! You had choices! You had chances! You could have been here for your son. I get it, you don’t want me…”
    His eyes widened just as Hudson walked in. “Are you fighting?”
    “No, baby. Why would you think that?”
    “Well, I never