Chapter 3

Just like five years ago, the second Cecilia had the slightest problem, Silas got called away.

He was out every day. I hardly ever saw him. Honestly, it was a relief.

Until Ivy's preschool announced a Family Day.

Ivy looked up at me, her eyes full of hope. "Mommy, can Daddy come with us?"

It had always been just me at these things. Now that Silas was back, he was her father. It was his responsibility.

That night I waited for him in the living room.

When Silas came in and saw me, the corner of his mouth went up. "Well, that's a first. You're not hiding from me?"

"Ivy has a Family Day next week. Can you make it?" I got straight to the point.

"Of course. I'll be there." He agreed without hesitation.

On Family Day, I waited at the event for an entire hour. He never showed.

What I finally got was a phone call, his voice rough. "Sorry, Vera, I can't make it. Something urgent came up."

I was quiet for a few seconds. Then I said, "It's fine."

I crouched down and touched Ivy's face. "Baby, Daddy can't come."

Ivy was obviously disappointed, but she was a good girl about it and held my hand tighter. "It's okay. I just need Mom."

When we got there, the place was full of couples—mothers and fathers in pairs.

I took her to play the games. Then I looked up, and saw a familiar figure.

He was tall enough to stand out anywhere in a crowd.

He was wearing athletic clothes. Broad shoulders, narrow waist.

"Who's that?" one of the moms next to me whispered. "Oh, that's Lily's dad, the new girl. Silas. He and Cecilia look so good together."

I followed their eyes, and half the blood in my body ran cold.

Silas was down on one knee, tying a little girl's shoelace.

Cecilia was standing right beside him, smiling sweetly.

They looked like the perfect family of three.

Since it was just me, we couldn't play a lot of the two-parent games.

So Ivy and I dropped out.

At the exit, I looked up and met Silas's eyes.

He was holding Lily in his arms.

I raised an eyebrow and gave him a cold little smile.

It was time, I thought, to put divorce on the table. It was going to happen sooner or later. Might as well make it sooner.

Silas panicked. Every drop of color drained from his face.

He set the child down, pushed through the crowd, and ran toward Ivy and me.

I ignored him and got Ivy into the car.

Ivy sat in her car seat in the back.

I thought about it for a long time, then looked at her in the rearview mirror. "Ivy, if everyone else had a dad and you didn't, would that make you sad?"

Ivy's voice was clear and bright. "No. I never had a dad."

When I heard that, I didn't say anything for a long while.

"What about Daddy Silas?" I asked.

Ivy didn't hesitate. "He's Lily's daddy, not mine. I just need Mom."

I stepped on the gas and left Silas, who was trying to knock on the window, far behind.