the villain to disappear.
Real families are more complicated.
He learned to respect boundaries in communication.
Being late had consequences.
Demanding information didn’t guarantee access.
Fatherhood didn’t grant ownership over the children’s mother.
Whether he truly became a better person, I couldn’t say.
He became more careful.
Perhaps that was progress.
Perhaps not.
His personal growth was no longer my responsibility.
Nearly two years after that Christmas, Cole asked to speak after dropping off the twins.
It was December again.
The afternoon was cold, with bare trees but no snow.
