My Stepfather Cheated on My Mom, and She Stayed Silent – I Made Him Regret It

He’d been around a lot when I was younger. He was a tall man with a booming laugh and a soft spot for chocolate chip pancakes. After Dad died, he helped us for a bit, but I could tell being around us hurt too much. Eventually, he moved across town, and we lost touch.

Still, I had his number saved.

And at 6:07 a.m., I sent him a message: Can I come over? I need help. It’s Mia.

The reply came within seconds: Yes. Door’s open.

I took the 7 a.m. bus across town, gripping the straps of my backpack like they were the only things holding me together.

When Jacob opened the door, he looked like he hadn’t aged a day. Just a little more gray in his beard.

“Mia,” he said, blinking hard, like he wasn’t sure I was real. “What’s going on?”

I didn’t cry.

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