**Diary Entry March 14th**
*”Youre the one who ruined him,”* my husbands ex-wife accused me.
*”Mum, why does Artie have a different last name?”* Max asked, flipping through his stepbrothers school diary.
Natalie froze over the pot of beef stew, the ladle hovering mid-air. The question hung between them like a taut string. Max sat at the kitchen table, head still bent over his homework, waiting for an answer.
*”Because he has a different dad,”* she murmured, stirring the stew absently.
*”Wheres his dad?”*
*”Lives separately.”*
Max finally looked up, his sharp eleven-year-old eyes searching hers. He understood more than Natalie wished he did.
*”Why does Artie cry at night sometimes?”*
Her chest tightened. Of course she knew. Seven-year-old Artie often sobbed into his pillow, muffled whimpers escaping in the dark. The child psychologist called it adjustment stressthe divorce, a new stepdad, a fractured world.
*”Its hard for him to get used to our new family,”* Natalie said, turning off the hob.
*”I liked Stephen straight away,”* Max remarked. *”Hes brilliant, isnt he?”*
She smiled. Stephen *was* brillianta kind husband, a devoted stepfather. After her first marriage ended, shed spent three years raising Max alone, juggling double shifts, collapsing over his textbooks at night. Then shed met Stephen at a parents eveninganother divorcee, raising his son, Artie.
Theyd taken it slow, both afraid of another mistake. But love had outweighed the fear.
*”Nat, Im home!”* Stephen called from the hall.
*”Dads back!”* Max grinned, darting off to greet him.
Natalie watched him go. Max had embraced Stephen effortlessly. Artie, thoughthat was another story.
Stephen wrapped an arm around her, kissing her temple. *”Hows it going? Wheres Artie?”*
*”In his room. Stephenwe need to talk. Olivia rang today.”*
His face darkened. Oliviahis ex-wife, Arties mother. Every call from her was a landmine.
*”What now?”*
*”Wants Artie for the weekend. Says hes withdrawn, struggling in school.”*
*”And you said?”*
*”What could I say? Of course she can take him. But she hinted”* Natalie hesitated.
*”Hinted what?”*
*”That its my fault. That Im cold toward him.”*
Stephen exhaled heavily, sinking into a chair. *”Nat, you know thats rubbish. Youve done nothing but try with him.”*
*”Try, yesbut is it enough?”* Her voice cracked. *”Max accepted you straight off. Artie still flinches when I reach for him.”*
*”Give it time. His situations different. Max saw how hard you struggled alonehe was relieved to have a father figure. Artie had both parents, then suddenly everything shattered. Plus, Olivias poisoning him against you.”*
She knew it. After their wedding, Olivia had declared war, furious Stephen had moved on.
*”Remember her turning up at the reception?”*
Stephen grimaced. How could he forget? Olivia had stormed in mid-vows, demanding Artie back, screaming that Natalie had stolen her familynever mind that Stephen had been divorced six months when they met.
*”Shell never let this go,”* he muttered. *”But well manage. Just keep her away from the boys.”*
Artie appeared in the doorwaysmall, fair-haired, eyes downcast.
*”Artie, love, dinners ready,”* Natalie said gently.
He shuffled in, sitting as far from her as possible. That familiar ache gnawed at her. *What am I doing wrong?*
*”How was school?”* Stephen asked.
*”Fine,”* Artie mumbled.
*”Miss Higgins said youve been distracted.”*
A shrug.
*”Is something bothering you?”* Natalie ventured.
Artie shot her a glance, then looked away.
*”Snothing.”*
*”Artie, Natalies trying to help,”* Stephen said patiently.
*”Shes not my mum!”* Artie exploded. *”Ive got a mum! A proper one!”*
Natalie went pale. Stephens jaw tightened.
*”Apologise. Now.”*
*”No! Shes not family! I wanna live with Mum!”*
He bolted from the table, his bedroom door slamming behind him.
Natalie buried her face in her hands. Stephen pulled her close.
*”He doesnt mean it.”*
*”He does. And hes right. I *am* a stranger. No matter what I doI broke his home.”*
*”Nat, dont. Olivia and I split long before you. You know why.”*
She did. Olivia had cheated, flaunted affairs, claimed marriage suffocated herthen panicked when Stephen filed for divorce. Too late.
*”Artie doesnt know that. To him, his life fell apart when *I* showed up.”*
*”Hell understand when hes older.”*
*”Till then, Im the villain who stole his dad.”*
Max peeked in. *”Mum Arties crying.”*
Natalie met Stephens eyesthe same helpless pain mirrored there.
*”Ill talk to him,”* he said.
*”No. Let me.”*
She knocked on Arties door. *”Can I come in?”*
*”Go away!”*
*”Please, Artie. Ive got something to tell you.”*
Silence. Then a quiet *”Kay.”*
He was curled on his bed, facing the wall. She perched on the edge.
*”Want to hear about my dad?”*
No reply, but she felt him listening.
*”My parents divorced when I was eighta bit older than you. Dad left for another woman. Mum married Uncle Rob later. Know what I did?”*
Artie shifted slightly.
*”I *hated* Uncle Rob. Thought if I was awful enough, hed leave and Dad would come back. I broke his things, threw tantrums Poor man put up with it all. Mum cried every night.”*
Artie turned fully now. *”What happened?”*
*”I grew up. Realised Dad didnt leave because of Uncle Robhed just stopped loving Mum. Uncle Rob *chose* us. Wanted to make us happy. But I realised too late.”*
*”Too late?”*
*”He died when I was sixteen. Never got to thank him. Never told him I loved him. Even though hed been a proper father to me all those years.”* Her throat closed.
*”Aunt Nat”* Artie whispered. *”Dyou want me to forget my mum?”*
*”Never. Youve only got one mum, and you should love her. I just want us to be okay. Im not replacing her. I just want to be your friend.”*
Artie was quiet a long moment.
*”You wont make me call you Mum?”*
*”Not if you dont want to.”*
*”And if I miss her you wont be mad?”*
*”Course not. Thats normal.”*
Artie sat up. *”Can I tell you about her sometimes? How pretty she is?”*
*”Whenever you like.”*
*”Will you tell me more about Uncle Rob?”*
She smiled through tears. *”Every story Ive got.”*
That Saturday, Olivia collected Artie. Natalie watched from the window as hertall, sleek in a designer coat, everything Natalie wasntbuckled Artie into her shiny BMW. He waved eagerly. Natalie forced a smile.
Stephen hugged her from behind. *”Hell be back.”*
*”I know. Its just shes so *put together*. And Im”*
*”Youre *everything*,”* he said firmly. *”Artie will see that.”*
Sunday evening, Olivia returnedbut this time, she marched upstairs with Artie.
Natalie opened the door to fury.
*”We need to talk,”* Olivia spat.
*”Artie, go to your room,”* Natalie said gently.
*”No!”* Olivia snapped. *”He hears this.”* She yanked out a notebook. *”His school essayMy Family. Listen.”*
Her voice shook with rage as she read: *”My family has five: Dad Stephen, Mum Natalie, brother Max, me, and my real mum Olivia. Mum Natalies kind. Cooks
