Chapter 14\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cedar\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
Saturday morning, finally. Ridley Sterling\u2019s expensive suit jacket was draped carefully over my reading chair. The fabric practically screamed bespoke tailoring. Even in repose, it exuded wealth and privilege, looking entirely out of place among my modest furnishings.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI should get this cleaned and returned,\u2018 I murmured to myself. The memory of yesterday\u2019s incident with Brad flashed through my mind, and I shuddered. The jacket represented both rescue and reminder\u20131 needed it gone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The soft padding of feet on hardwood pulled me from my thoughts. Oliver appeared in the doorway, hair adorably tousled from sleep, rubbing his eyes with\u00a0<\/p>\n
tiny fists.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGood morning, Mommy,\u201d he said, voice still rough with drowsiness. \u201cWhat are we doing today?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I smiled despite myself. His insistence on calling me \u201cMommy\u201d had become less jarring, instead stirring something warm and protective in my chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to drop off Mr. Sterling\u2019s jacket at a dry cleaner,\u201d I explained, straightening my weekend sweater. \u201cThen I thought maybe we could do something fun\u00a0<\/p>\n
together.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Oliver\u2019s face brightened instantly. \u201cLike what?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow about Navy Pier? There\u2019s a Ferris wheel, games\u2026 maybe ice cream?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The suggestion transformed his expression, joy blooming across his features with such intensity it made my heart ache. Had anyone ever been this excited to\u00a0<\/p>\n
spend time with me?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCan we go now?\u201d he bounced on his toes, suddenly fully awake.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to take care of the jacket first,\u201d I said. \u201cCan you stay here for a little while? I\u2019ll be quick, and then we\u2019ll have the whole day together.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He nodded. \u201cI\u2019ll wait. I promise I\u2019ll be good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I gently ruffled his hair. \u201cI know you will.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The high\u2013end dry cleaner was worlds away from the coin\u2013operated laundromat near my apartment, The elegant storefront with its etched glass and brass fixtures catered to clientele whose casual wear cost more than my monthly rent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A bell chimed softly as I entered, clutching Sterling\u2019s jacket like contraband. The attendant, a slender woman with perfectly coiffed silver hair, glanced up from behind the marble counter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGood morning,\u201d she greeted, her gaze efficiently assessing both me and the garment in my arms. \u201cHow may I help you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018I need this cleaned,\u201d I said, carefully placing the jacket on the counter. \u201cIt belongs to Ridley Sterling. I need it perfect.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyebrows rose slightly at the name, but her professional demeanor remained intact. \u201cOf course. We handle Mr. Sterling\u2019s garments regularly. Any specific\u00a0<\/p>\n
instructions?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hesitated, realizing I knew nothing about the proper care of a jacket that probably cost as much as three months of my salary. \u201cJust\u2026 whatever you\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
3:49 pm M\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 14\u00a0<\/p>\n
normally do for him?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She nodded, examining the material with practiced hands. \u201cWe\u2019ll have it ready by Tuesday. Would you like us to deliver it directly to the Sterling residence?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I said quickly. \u201cI\u2019ll pick it up myself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As she prepared the receipt, I found myself staring at the boutiques across the street, their windows displaying clothing I could never afford on my salary. The distance between my world and Ridley Sterling\u2019s seemed insurmountable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Oliver\u2019s face lit up when I returned, and I decided to drive there. I rarely drove during workdays\u20131 much preferred the time to zone out and gather my thoughts on public transit, rather than dealing with the nightmare of rush\u2013hour traffic.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Within an hour, we were walking through the entrance of Navy Pier. The spring day was perfect\u2013clear blue skies, a gentle breeze off Lake Michigan, and the\u00a0<\/p>\n
excited chatter of families enjoying the weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCan we ride that?\u201d Oliver pointed to the Centennial Wheel, his voice breathless with anticipation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d I smiled, purchasing tickets.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the gondola, rising above the city, Oliver pressed his face against the glass, eyes wide with wonder as Chicago\u2019s skyline unfolded before us. The pure joy\u00a0<\/p>\n
on his face was infectious, and I found myself smiling\u2013really smiling\u2013for what felt like the first time in years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLook, Mommy! You can see everything!\u201d he exclaimed, pointing to the glittering expanse of Lake Michigan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I followed his gaze, seeing the city through his eyes\u2013not as a place of struggle and obligation, but as something magical and full of possibility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Sky Remembered the Touch of Our Uninished Goodbyes by Lysa Orion Rehn 14 Chapter 14\u00a0 Cedar\u2019s POV\u00a0 Saturday morning, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[88],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-zero-stars-for-daddy-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30413"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30413\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}