Rekindling Love After Divorce

ered under her breath, pressing redial

ed again. A familiar automated voice declared, "Th

om. The balloons and streamers swayed ge

long over, or, more accuratel

es burned out hours ago. Amanda glanced at the clock.

ttle girl clung to her favorite stuffed bunny, her eyelids drooping from exhaustion.

, though her voice faltered. She kissed Kendall on the cheek and stood, lif

tairs to her room. Laying her down, Amanda whispered, "Goodnight, my love. Daddy wil

, but stopped herself. "If something's wrong, I don't want to worry her unnecessarily." Ins

y answered groggily

m James today?" she asked,

told me he'd be home early tonight for

her breathing. "I haven't heard fr

fine when we talked. Maybe he went to s

o one told me." She thought to herself. She kept her

ry said. "I'm sure it's jus

rang and rang, but there was no answer. She tried t

mes today? He hasn't come

r temples. Her mind racing really fas

r phone, expecting a reply from Agnes, but the sende

was a v

ries flooded back, months ago, an unknown number sent her a chill

sing it after finding no evidence. Now, another an

over a man laughing and chatting with a group of women. His

ief as the man leaned in close to one of the w

o in a panic, refusing to let the image take root in her mind. James wasn't like that.

r. Her phone buzzed incessantly. She opened the texts, her hands trembli

he first me

g things from you. Check the secret closet in his home o

? But the mention of her parents... the same parents she had lost in what was declared an acci

s, she was still in doubts that James could leave their daughter's birthday for the club. He misse

he needed to know. For her daughter's sake, if nothing else. Amanda ki

d as she unlocked it. The room was immaculate, as always, James was meticulous about his space. S

pers protruding from a panel in the wall near James' chair. She approached it caut

d it. The first thing she saw was a photograph. A picture of her as a child, standing between her

ow... How did you get this?"