Chapter 2

That night, Daniel came home with my favorite dinner and kissed me as if he had not spent six years living a second life.

"Your hands are freezing." He rubbed my fingers between his palms. "Have you eaten?"

His wedding ring was back where it belonged.

"Not yet."

"I knew it."

He smiled and pulled out a chair for me.

The food was from the restaurant I liked. He had ordered extra sauce and left out the onions without needing to ask.

I watched him open the containers.

That afternoon, I had saved a photograph of him holding Vanessa.

Beside it was his message promising to attend Lucy's solo.

Now he was asking whether I wanted rice.

"Daniel," I asked quietly. "Is there anything you haven't told me?"

His hand paused over the bag. Then he looked up.

"Of course not. What brought that on?"

"You've been away a lot."

"Work has been brutal." He opened the containers and pushed my favorite dish toward me. "But that's what it's for, right? Taking care of you and Lucy."

I swallowed before I could answer him.

He sounded exactly as he always had.

I had heard those words when he came home late. When he missed dinner. When Lucy fell asleep waiting to show him something.

I slowly pulled my hands back.

"Lucy is in the living room," I said. "You texted me earlier. You said you would come to her recital this Friday. I want you to go tell her yourself."

Daniel did not hesitate.

Lucy looked up from her homework when he entered. Her eyes lit up instantly.

"Hey, princess," he said softly. "Mom told me about your big solo this Friday. I am definitely coming."

Lucy looked at me first.

Her fingers tightened on the book.

"You won't have work?"

Last time, she had watched the door until her teacher called her backstage. Afterward, she asked whether Dad had arrived while she was singing.

I had told her his meeting ran late.

"Nothing is more important."Daniel softened his voice."Save me a seat where I can see you."

Hours later, the house was perfectly quiet.

Daniel was fast asleep in our bed. His chest rose and fell in a peaceful rhythm.

I sat at the kitchen table in the dark.

I gathered the requested documents and texted my sister, Megan.

[Can Lucy and I stay with you?]

[Of course.]

Before closing the laptop, I checked Briarwood's page.

A new event notice showed Daniel smiling beneath the words FATHER OF THE YEAR.

The ceremony was Friday.

I opened Lucy's program and compared the times.

The two events were scheduled for the same hour.

I opened the recital email and forwarded it to my sister, Megan.

If Daniel failed Lucy again, I wanted a place ready before the curtain closed—not another night spent packing while he explained himself.

Then I photographed the six old tickets in Lucy's keepsake box. Each carried a different date and the same unused seat number.

Friday would not be an isolated mistake, no matter how he tried to name it.

Upstairs, Daniel was asleep.

He had promised our daughter a seat would not be empty.

On my screen, another school had put his name on its stage.