el
's face vanished, replace
snatched the divorce papers from my
with manufactured sobs. "This is all my fault
with tears. "I love you, Jackson! I love
"Please, don't leave him. I'll go. I'll disappear.
l performance, wo
trying to pull her into his arms, b
us, so shamelessly manipulative, t
the cold, damp asphalt of th
on. "Hit me. Slap me. Do whatever you need to do to feel bett
the hem of my pants, her
d, Hazel. A boy
shaking, but as she looked up at me, her face hidden from Jackson and Colton, her expression
med a silent
nce, of swallowed pride, of gritted teeth, all
ow growl. I tried to pull my leg a
rp cry, she let go, stumbling backwar
even to
loded across my cheek. Jac
. Red and black spots danced in my vision. Throug
ad
protest. It was a cry
faces contorted with identical expressions of hatred and disgust. Not for wh
nd. It was all so pathetic. So predictable. T
g beside her, his face a mask of frantic conce
ng her wrist. "Does it hurt here? I know
him, the care I had taught him, was now being used to t
is voice thick with emotion as he helped her
ing less than three pounds. The doctors had given him a 50/50 chance. Jackson's family,
, willing him to live. I promised the universe, God, anyone who was listening,
ends, my hobbies, my very self. I endured Jackson's growing contempt, his affairs, hi
as looking at me as
" he spat, his eyes burning wit
lared, his voice ringing with t
wife," he added, ge
whispering, "You're the best mommy in the whole world." I remembered him standing up to a bully in ki
oy was
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