Father's Day: A Slap In Public

louder. I heard snippets of conve

r father's

take a gift ba

s so cold. I feel sorr

down at my daughter, Lily. She was clutching my leg, her face buried in my pants, and her small body was tre

ver me, eclipsing my own shame. I k

whispered into her hair.

ightly, and faced Brenda. My voic

ou are not welcome here. Yo

hand on my shoulder. "You heard my wife," h

ace twisted into a mask of pure malice. "Or what?

rageous I could barely believe it.

. "She pushed me! The rich, cruel daughter p

s if to help her. It was a complete lie. I had

unged toward me. "You b

ut Mark moved faster. He shoved Ch

e you arrested for assault," Mark

bigger than Mark, but he was also a coward. He just s

d the exit. I scooped Lily up into my arms. She

on the floor, grabbed my ankle. Her grip

re!" she shrieked. "You'

e scene was spiraling out of control. Teachers were

everythi

he noise, a voice I k

going o

orm cloud of anger. My first thought was relief. He would see wh

s wr

ed to Brenda's side, helping her up with a

e?" he asked her, his

e cold, filled with a disappointme

bling with rage. "How could you?

response, his hand flew up

the side. The sting was sharp, immediate. But the pain in my heart was a thousan

, my mind reeling in disbelief. Lily

s arm, a triumphan

da cooed. "Tell your ungr

t me, his face har

said, his words landing like another blow.