Alex leaned forward slightly. “Emma, I promise I would never do anything to hurt you or your mommy. I just want us all to be happy together.”
Emma didn’t say anything, but her body relaxed just a little. I knew this was only the beginning—it would take time for her to feel safe around Alex. I glanced at him, and he gave me a small, supportive smile. We had a long road ahead, but I was determined to make this right.
As soon as Emma was calm enough to rest in her room, I grabbed my phone and dialed Tom’s number, my hands trembling with anger. He picked up on the third ring.
“Jess, what’s up?” he said casually.
“Tom, what on earth did you tell Emma about Alex?” I demanded, struggling to keep my voice under control.
“What do you mean?” he replied, pretending not to understand.
“Don’t play dumb with me, Tom. Emma just had a meltdown because she thought Alex was going to take her away. She said you told her that,” I said, my anger rising as tears filled my eyes.
“Well, maybe I did,” he admitted after a pause. “I don’t trust that guy, Jess. He’s going to take you and Emma away from me.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Tom, that’s not true, and you know it. You had no right to scare her like that. You’ve lost your babysitting privileges until further notice.”
His tone turned defensive. “Oh, so now I’m the bad guy? I was just looking out for her. What do you know about this Alex guy anyway? What if he’s not who you think he is?”
“That’s not your decision to make, Tom. Alex and I have been together for over a year. He’s a good man, and he cares about us. You had no right to interfere like that,” I said firmly.
“So, I was right after all. As soon as she met that man, I was cut out of her life,” he snapped.
“No, Tom. You did this to yourself. You manipulated our daughter and filled her with fear. That’s unacceptable,” I replied, my voice shaking.
Tom let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m her father, Jess. I have a right to protect her.”
“Protect her from what? A man who has done nothing but be kind to us? You’re projecting your own insecurities onto Emma, and it’s not fair to her,” I said.
