—Mabel—

No, I thought wrong.

He wasn’t trying to make up—he called so he could talk with his children. Stupid of me to believe he wanted more.

I glanced at the children. They’d finished eating.

“Alright, sweethearts. Time for school.”

“Last one to the car is a soggy sandwich!” Damian blurted, and they tore into a race, their backpacks bouncing behind them.

As expected, Damian was first, followed by Eloise. Nathaniel, the quiet one, was still halfway down the hallway when he ...