s like peeling back layers of my own skin,

ts, not just for him and Jes

nsive places, places I wa

ish meals regularly, framing them

these outings were a "secret test" of my loyalty, to see if I'd compla

aughter against me, s

ow wished Jessi

as a cold, hard k

ng him with this, about h

ce was ove

s siphoning funds to Jessica, th

his undoing, a treasu

the weapon to destroy him,

me, but it brought no com

ost immediate

, gentle

im from Mark's cr

marriage, and wept for my lost dog, for the love and comfort

al, no grave to visit, just

ght back, but in that moment, al

o channel this grief

und solace among books and quiet, suddenly

ngth, and my income,

s were a blur of

ildren, helped them find books,

when he was, we existed

ried to talk, to

Emily. This divorce idea

scovered about his manipulation of her,

nd Jessica, it cut deeper than any

, so utterly b

ring a brief, bitter exchange where he accused me of being hyste

ll custody? Fine. Take her. I ca

in the air, h

rprise, then a slow, calculatin

even try