Chapter 4

Leah’s POV

Mark didn’t answer Ivy’s question. He only said we were all upset and shouldn’t turn a key into something bigger than it was.

Three days later, Ivy brought that key into the family counselor’s office.

The counselor asked each of us to name one specific action. No judging anyone’s motives. No explaining for anyone else.

Mark went first.

“They moved out without warning. They didn’t even give me a chance to fix this.”

“What specific action hurt you?” the counselor asked.

He glanced at me. “Leah took Ivy away.”

When my turn came, I said only, “Mark told Ivy to stop calling him Dad and use his name.”

Mark immediately sat straighter.

“You’re leaving out the reason again.”

The counselor raised a hand. “Let Ivy finish.”

Ivy kept one hand inside her coat pocket. She didn’t mention Ava or argue about blood.

She simply repeated the words that had hurt her.

“Call me Mark.”

Mark let out a breath.

“That was temporary. Ava was coming into my home as my daughter for the first time, and I wanted to protect that moment. Ivy has had me for twelve years. Calling me something else for one night didn’t take anything away from her.”

I wanted to remind him that after that one night, he had canceled Ivy’s driving lesson and told her to give notice before coming home.

In the past, I would have rushed to fill in the missing pieces so no one misunderstood what he meant.

This time, I stayed quiet.

The counselor looked at Ivy.

“What do you need him to answer?”

Ivy pulled out her house key and rested it on her knee. The dark blue strap hung over the side of her hand.

She had made two matching straps when she was thirteen—one for Mark and one for her own key.

When he gave her that key, Mark told her she would never need to knock before coming home because she would always be family.

“When you first came into our lives,” Ivy said, looking at him, “I still called you Mark. You were the one who asked me to start calling you Dad.”

Mark said nothing.

“Now I’m supposed to go back to calling you Mark. I’m supposed to give up our Sundays, and I have to tell you before I come over to get my clothes.” She placed the key on the table. “So I only want to know if what you told me back then is still true.”

“It isn’t that simple,” Mark said. “Ava just found me. You can’t force me to choose between my daughters.”

“You already made the choice.”

Ivy pushed the key across the table. The dark blue strap brushed the edge before stopping in front of Mark.

“If I’m a guest now, then take it back.”

I clasped my hands in my lap.

I didn’t explain for him. I didn’t take the question back for Ivy.

Mark stared at the key.

Then he reached across the table and pressed his palm over it.