Brytani’s best friend Octavia Moon came to visit her as she has been worried about her.
Octavia: How are you holding up, hon?
Brytani: What can I say, I almost burned down my kitchen yesterday?
Octavia: What?

Brytani: Yes, you know cooking is not my thing, and the nanny, she takes good care of Mercy, but she doesn’t cook, at least not for me.

Octavia: Oh, don’t worry, I can teach you many easy recipes, I can also recommend some restaurants that do home delivery, though the latter would be a bit expensive.
Brytani: I don’t care about the price; I just don’t want to get burned to death.

Octavia: Easy, girl, we’ll figure out about the food. As for Mercy, well, a nanny is helpful, but it’s not enough. I know you’re making a big effort as a mom, but kids need both of their parents.
Brytani: What are you saying?
Octavia: I say you should ask Allan to get more involved.

Brytani: Involved? But I told him I’d handle Mercy on my own, that was the deal from the beginning.
Octavia: Sure he got the easy part of that deal, but Mercy is his daughter too, he should support you in some way.
Brytani: Really? In what way?

Octavia: Well, he just moved here in Del Sol Valley, he has a huge home, with lots of rooms. He could take Mercy there once in a while, have her a week or two, so you can rest and do your things.
Brytani: Yeah, well, I don’t know if Allan would be willing to do that…
Octavia: Talk to him and ask him, he might even like the idea, he adores Mercy, doesn’t he?

Brytani: Octavia’s idea doesn’t sound so bad, she already once asked Allan to watch over Mercy and he listened to her, why wouldn’t he listen to me?

Brytani: Hm, if Al would take care of Mercy at least one week a month, I’d have lots of time for myself and I‘d advance faster in my career, which is currently stalled.

“Talk to him and ask him”, Octavia had said, it sounded simple, but –
Brytani: Talk to Allan, after months of not seeing him, calling him or even sending him a text? Oh, no, no; I can’t do that. Or maybe I should? It’s a tough decision for Brytani. Will she have the courage to meet him face to face again without instantly melting for him? Will he break the promises he made to Zoe to help her with Mercy? There is only one way to know.

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