Chapter 1
On our daughter’s eighth birthday, my husband took away her seizure-alert dog and gave him to his first love’s daughter.
Chloe was still clinging to Scout’s neck when Ryan pulled off the dog’s red service vest.
“Daddy, please.” She was crying so hard she could barely breathe. “He can’t go.”
Ryan pried her hands loose and passed the leash to Ava, who stood in the doorway.
“It’s only for a little while. Ava just lost her father. She needs Scout more than you do right now.”
“He’s not a pet. He warns me before I have a seizure.”
“Your mother can take care of you.”
“Mom can’t watch me every second.”
The last trace of patience vanished from Ryan’s face.
“Chloe, you’re eight years old. You can’t depend on a dog for the rest of your life.”
Half an hour earlier, Chloe had been sitting in front of her birthday cake, waiting for Ryan to come home and help her blow out the candles.
She had refused to make her wish without him. Daddy had promised, and she still believed his promises meant something.
But when Ryan finally came home, he brought Natalie—his first love—and Natalie’s daughter, Ava.
He never looked at the cake or the piece of frosting Chloe had saved for him.
The first thing he did was announce that he was giving Scout to Ava.
“Ryan, let him go.”
I blocked the doorway.
“Scout is Chloe’s seizure-alert dog. He isn’t a toy you can hand to someone else.”
“Ava watched her father die in a car accident. She can’t even sleep alone.” Ryan stepped in front of Natalie and Ava. “They’ve been through enough. Do you really have to make this harder?”
“I’m trying to keep our daughter safe.”
Natalie lowered her eyes.
“Forget it, Ryan. If Emma is going to be this upset, we should leave.”
She said she was leaving, but her hand stayed firmly on Ava’s shoulder.
Then Scout tore free of Ava and rushed back to Chloe.
He didn’t bark. He pressed his nose hard against Chloe’s knee, then ran to the medication bag on the table.
My stomach dropped.
“Sit down, Chloe.”
The color was already draining from her face.
“Mom, I smell burnt oranges again.”
I helped her sit and gave her the medication. Scout stayed pressed against her legs until her breathing evened out and the stiffness left her fingers.
Ryan watched the entire thing.
I thought that would change his mind.
Minutes later, he picked up the leash again.
“You just saw what happened,” I said. “Scout cannot leave her.”
“What I saw was that you handled it.”
Chloe was still sitting on the floor, pale and shaken.
“Daddy, what if Mom hadn’t been here?”
Ryan looked away.
“She’ll be more careful next time.”
“Scout is always careful.”
Tears slipped down Chloe’s cheeks.
“Why does being scared mean she gets to take the thing that keeps me safe?”
Ryan didn’t answer.
He opened the door and gave Scout to another little girl.
Until the door closed, Scout kept twisting around to look at Chloe.
She stared at her empty hands.
“Mom, does Daddy think Ava deserves to be protected more than I do?”