a's

horror and disbelief I had never seen before. He was screaming my name,

hrieks of children ripped me from the darkness.

ision. A giant banner hung across the room:

irthday party? Th

ft voice, a voice I thought I would never hear again, tre

snappe

oul. Kira. My daughter. She was staring u

She was warm.

ees and pulled her into my arms, crushing her again

ic beat of her heart against my chest. I buried my face in th

in, but this time, they were te

muffled against my shoul

ned every inch of her, my eyes drinking in the sight of

as

she had actually giv

er, preening in a pink dress, laughing with the ot

in of presents, smugly showing off

few feet away, watching Harriet with

e suffocating rage of my pre

p smile touc

thing was s

while sorting through my meager belongings, I had found an old diary of Harriet's. It detailed everythin

use with my husband, to steal his affection and his

fool. You doted on another man's child w

would make

nd stood up, my spin

me. "Mommy," she whisper

e. "It's okay, baby. From now on, Mommy will prot

ng too fast, had bumped into Harriet, spilling a gla

fied, on the verge of tears

ng, "It's alright," but a flick

t spare a glance for the frightened child.

edge of command. "Take care of your gues

, as if he were spe

s exact moment, I had rushed forward, apologizing prof

as not my