Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 382

In the sterile whiteness of the hospital room, Elysia sat vigil by Elijah's bedside, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She was desperate to whisk him away before the results of the paternity test came in. She knew that once Tarquin got the confirmation, he'd never let her leave, let alone take Elijah with her. He'd watch her like a hawk, trapping her in a gilded cage.

The thought of living with a man she loathed was unbearable. How could she, unhappy and trapped, ever hope to create a happy environment for her children? A strained marriage could never provide the nurturing ground her children needed to grow up healthy and happy. She firmly believed that a happy single-parent family was far better than a miserable two-parent one.

But how could she possibly escape with Elijah?

Even if she couldn't take Elijah right away, dodging the paternity test would buy her some time.

What could she do?

Her phone rang, piercing the silence of the room. It was Elliot.

Wiping her tears, Elysia glanced around to make sure Tarquin wasn't there before answering, "Hello, Elliot."

"Mommy, have you been crying?" Elliot's sensitivity caught her off guard.

Trying to hide her distress, Elysia lied, "Don't worry, mommy just got emotional seeing Elijah."

She didn't want to burden her children with her troubles. They were too young to understand or help, and it would only worry them.

Elliot frowned slightly, "Is Elijah's daddy making things hard for you?"

"No," she quickly replied.

Emmett, also crying, agreed, "I'm with Evan. We need to go to mommy now. She's too scared and sad."

Elliot, trying to be the voice of reason, suggested a different approach, "If we're going to fight, we might as well have taken Elijah from the start. We've talked about this; a head-on approach isn't the best for mommy or Elijah."

"I know, but what do we do now? Mommy is so upset, and we have the means to fix this. Why should we let her suffer?" Evan sobbed.

"Temporary pain for long-term happiness," Elliot replied, laying out a plan to intercept the paternity test results, ensuring their mom wouldn't be forced into a life she didn't want.

Their resolve solidified, the siblings prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead, united in their determination to protect their family's happiness.