Chapter 5
I took Mia to the nurse’s office.
Not because her injury was severe.
Because she needed a door that closed.
She sat on the cot with my coat still wrapped around her.
The ruined dress bunched beneath it.
Her eyes stayed on the floor.
“Mommy,” she whispered, “do princesses come from broken homes?”
I sat beside her.
“Princesses come from brave hearts.”
“But my dress broke.”
“That does not mean you broke.”
She touched the torn satin.
“You worked hard.”
“I worked because I love you. I can fix fabric.”
Her lip trembled.
“Can you fix today?”
I wanted to lie.
To tell her yes.
To promise magic.
Instead, I kissed her forehead.
“I can help make tomorrow safer.”
Daniel stood in the doorway.
He looked like he had aged ten years in ten minutes.
“Can I come in?”
Mia looked at me.
I nodded.
Only then did she nod.
That hurt him again.
Good.
He needed to understand permission now.
He stepped inside and crouched a few feet away.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
Mia stared at him.
“You said Vanessa only wanted me to behave.”
His face crumpled.
“I was wrong.”
“She said I make you sad.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“No. You never make me sad by being you.”
“She said if I loved you, I would stop making Mommy important.”
I looked away.
That one cut deep.
Daniel looked at me.
Then back at Mia.
“That was cruel and false.”
Mia hugged my coat tighter.
“Are you mad at me?”
“No.”
“Are you mad at Mommy?”
Daniel swallowed.
“No. I’m mad at myself.”
Mia seemed confused by that.
So was I, a little.
Daniel stood and looked at me.
“What envelope do you have?”
Of course he had seen my purse.
I pulled out the sealed legal packet.
“I was going to give this to you after the event.”
“What is it?”
“A custody modification.”
His face went pale.
“Grace.”
“I didn’t file it because I wanted more time with Mia. I filed it because Vanessa has been hurting her.”
He shook his head.
“I would have listened.”
May you like
I looked at our daughter hiding under my coat.
“No, Daniel. I tried telling you for months.”
