The Loyal Dog Becomes A Lion

Olivia loved. As we got out of the car,

d this must be your husband, he's so ha

Leo puffed out his chest. "Ye

"Oh, how wonderful! You two make such

glance in my direction. I was standing right there, but I might as well have been a lamppost. I

chment, a cold clarity. This w

" the woman insisted,

es to kiss his cheek, a gesture of public affection she had never, not once, shown me in ten years. Da

funny. The perfect family portrait, and the man who had held that fa

was no more hope to be crushed, no more love to

uddenly remembering I existed. "Wha

fect mask of concern. "Are you alri

just jealous,

annoyed frown on her face. "Ethan, d

offer some meaningless, insincere

e flat. "I'm not hungry. I

car keys. "You'

flicker of confusion in her eyes. "But

ay. But how would she know that? In ten years, sh

change,

ithout looking back. I could feel her eyes on me, watching me go. For the first

he other side of the city, to a small, brightly lit build

lowance" from the Hayes family to this place for

group of kids playing in the yar

e!" a little

my clothes, their voices a c

ng us any ca

oy car? The wheel

all day. "Of course," I said, ruffling a

n't invisible. I was