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“I can change it,” I say immediately. “I can call the lawyer before I report and see if there's another way to—”

“No. No. It's fine.”

“You don't have to deal with her.”

“If it's an emergency involving your possible child, I'm not going to ignore it.”

Of course she isn't. She's Blaire.

Sometimes she's so fucking good that it makes me feel worse.

“You don't have to be nice to her.” I tell her, as if that’s any consolation.

That gets a tiny smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

I brush my thumb beneath her eye. “I'm sorry.”

“Daddy.”

We both look over to the doorway, where Theo is standing with that is definitely more than one cookies with of crumbs on his shirt.

His little face is crumpling. “Daddy hold me.”

I don't even hesitate.

I leave Blaire’s side and go scoop him up.

Theo wraps himself around me like a koala, arms tight around my neck, legs around my waist. His face disappears against my shoulder.

“I don't want you to go work.”

My chest cracks open. “I know, buddy.”

“Stay home.”

“I can't.”

“Why?”

“Because Daddy made a promise to do this job.”

“I don't like your job.”

Blaire turns her face away.

I rub my hand slowly up and down Theo's back.

“I don't like it very much right now either. But I have to go.”

“For how many sleeps?”

Fuck.

I look at Blaire.

She looks just as wrecked as I feel.

“Hey.” I pull back enough to see him. “You know what your job is while I'm gone?”