The Divorce That Freed Me

had shaken our family. Seeing his innocent face was a comfort and a torment all at once. I sat on the floor with him

ut he wasn' t looking for me, not really. He walked

" he asked, hi

said, not looking up f

doting fatherhood. He laughed with Leo, praised his drawings, promised to buy him a pony. He had never on

to the playroom, this time wi

key to the famil

ed. "

dmother brought from Europe. It was part of your weddi

of jewelry. It was a symbol of my position as the matriarch-in-waiting, the

d, my voice q

did you

l not give my things

unroom. Leo had tripped and scraped his knee. It was

scooping him up. He shot a venomous glare at me. "This is your fault!

he humiliation-it all receded, replaced by a cold, hard clarity. This ma

e is your son, Richard," I said, my voice fla

and helped him place another block on his