The Wedding Gift: His second Chance

oor. David was lounging on the sofa, watching TV as if he owned the place. The boy, David Jr., was runnin

t was the one room in the house that still felt like mine, filled with my parents' books a

t had hung over my desk. It was a portrait of my parents, painted a year before they died. It was my most treasured possession. Now, it was o

t in years, rose in my chest. "Davi

d. His fingers and shirt were stained with the same paint that now defaced my

he said, puffing out

, a look of mild amusement on his face. "What

he painting. "He destroyed it. Th

hrugged. "Kids will be kids. It's just a

. The rage was so intense it made my

to the floor, clutching his arm. "Ow! He pushed me! He

I hadn't touched him. I was

ng glare. He rushed to his son's side. "What did you do t

otested, but my voice was dr

to the room, her grandmother trai

ed, her eyes immediately going to

ice laced with outrage. "Just because

with cold fury and disappointment. "Liam, how

d, turning to her grandmother for supp

ask of contempt. "I don't want to hear it. You've been moody and difficult for months,

side of the story. She just condemned me. In her eyes, I was guilty. The trust we had

ing behind a hollow, aching emptiness. I looked from Olivia's

I whispered, the word

be sleeping in the master bedroom anymore. It's not safe for David Jr. with y

ed look, she turned her back on me and focused on comforting the still-sobbing boy. David shot me a look over her shoulder, a look of