lly materialized,

elegant, poised, with a smile t

dren, then me, with a

your... methods, Sarah," Amanda

't a co

made roasted chicken with ros

so, I hoped, im

well-behaved. They used their nap

mplimented Am

r of surprise

seemed to find fa

that the children are a litt

edom would encourage th

were too harsh. She wa

expressi

singly neat art project (a community mural design Oli

these children need a mother's

my days were numbered once

tract, Amanda," I said. "To ensure

r repressed?"

e lines w

he one who "rescued" the child

anted my

children with a trip to a high-end toy stor

my utter astonishme

k and help Max with his sc

n the mural? The community cen

Her arsenal of expensive

d a

n animal shelter for Chloe (which she now loved), structured activities, and

ing this, loo

They seem... different, S

an do more than just spend

a is... concerned you're

ou?" I

eing results I didn't

in his armor o

ncaid Foundation Gala

l, clearly envisioning herself as the p

e to shine, to prove my year

ure depen