Cate had lost both her parents. She was an only child and so were her parents. She felt alone.

She kept herself busy by working and writing songs. Still, she longed for companionship, for family.

She met Preston and was instantly drawn to him. He was confident, cheerful, and seemed to have not a care in the world. He showered her with compliments and made her feel special.

Cate feels as though she is walking on cloud nine for the first few months.

Preston is not as perfect as she had believed. Preston has been seeing women behind her back. At first, he begs for forgiveness.

“I am so lonely,” he says his lip trembling,”You are always working and performing. I am all alone. I am a man that needs a lot of attention or I feel neglected, unloved.”

Cate is too angry to listen.

“Out,” she commands. “This is not acceptable to me. I don’t want to see you again.”

She points to the door. Preston slowly gets up and walks to the door. He looks back at her with sad eyes. Cate quickly looks away before she gives in.

Cate buries herself in her music. She tries to forget Preston. Sometimes at night, he drifts in her thoughts and she wonders what could have been. Maybe it had been her fault. She did obsess with her work. It consumed her. Maybe she had been too harsh. Maybe Preston had felt neglected and unloved.

Preston had left her a few messages that she had ignored. The next time he called, she picked up.

Preston came over.
“Just to talk,” Cate told him.

Cate was powerless against his charms. As he gazed into her eyes, she melted. She tried to resist, but Preston ended up spending the night, sleeping in her bed.

In the morning, they agreed to take things slow. Maybe they had moved too fast before.

What they didn’t know was that Cate would become pregnant from that night.

Instead of moving slowly and seeing where things go, they move in together.

Things go well at first. Preston pampers her.

As the pregnancy progresses, Cate becomes more and more miserable. She is irritable. Preston pulls away, becoming less attentive. They begin arguing.

When Cate is eight months pregnant, they go to a work picnic. Cate catches Preston flirting with another woman.

Miles is born. Cate wishes her parents were around to see him. She wonders if he will be musical like her or charming like his father. She adores her son.

Preston is proud to have a son. He shows a picture of Miles to whoever he is talking to. He leaves much of the care to Cate.

“Babies are so little. I don’t want to break him,” he says whenever Cate asks him to care for Miles. He would play with the baby, but the diapering and feedings fell to her.

After a late night performing, Cate comes home to find Miles and Preston watching tv.

“Why is Miles not in bed? He should have been sleeping hours ago?” Cate asked.

“He wasn’t tired,” Miles replied not taking his eyes of the tv. “You always say we need to spend more time together and then you complain. You are never happy with me.”

Cate heads to the bedroom.

“Cate,” Preston said,” I think he needs a diaper change.”

Preston hands her the baby and leaves the room.

Miles was cranky from being kept up late and in a dirty diaper. Cate was fuming as she bathed him. She didn’t ask much of him. She worked hard and he couldn’t even change him and put him to bed.

She put Miles to sleep and stormed into the bedroom to confront Preston. Preston was sound asleep looking as though he had not a care in the world.

The next day seeing that Cate was still angry, Miles offered to take him to the park. Cate desperately wanted Miles to grow up with two parents. She wanted the relationship to work. Maybe he would try harder as he promised once again.

Whenever Cate was about to reach the breaking point, Preston would put in more effort and she would forgive him. He took a more active role in his son’s life. Then slowly he would start doing less and less again.

Then one day, Cate left work early with plans to spend the rest of the day with her family.

Instead, she found Preston in bed with the maid.

Preston begged forgiveness, but Cate had reached her breaking point. She kicked him out and refused his calls. She had given him enough chances.

Cate wanted a fresh start. She sold the house and bought a new one.

Cate worked many hours and needed someone that she could trust to keep her son. Luckily, her neighbor, Lydia, loved children. She cared for neighborhood children after school and agreed to keep Miles.

Lydia adored Miles. He loved going to her house. Lydia saved dinner for Cate and often baked cookies. Things were looking up for Cate and Miles.