Her Ice Heart, His Bitter End

tment later that night, l

, about Chloe' s "brilliant business

s drawing or his dismiss

hadn't happened,

tern for the mon

preschool, the kind my fat

enrolled Skylar there t

atched, a knot in my stomach,

Skylar, scooping her

oducing her to other parents as "my little

ted smile when she shyly approach

d pitying glances. Ot

am. I wanted to

inful thing, and told Grace how

summer house, a place filled

ing Chloe and Skyl

d come on a Fr

to clear out for the weekend

time, I

. "She gets upset seeing other children with her 'Dad

child. Was an

r bags and drive back to the

enture for Grace, trips t

as smart.

ouse, Mommy? Why does Daddy Liam

you ans

hloe insisted

important for th

was a po

rawn another picture for Liam

n of Chloe in her confiden

eclared, snatching the p

d react, Skylar ripped

eered as Grace' s ey

smile playing on her li

t was not a kind thing to do. Y

on his phone nearby

id, his voice sharp. "Kids will

"It's okay, sweetie. Daddy Li

s now openly sobbing, clutching

e for defending

d and walked away,

ommodate, were not just futil

ther cut, another pie