Chapter 3
The next day, I got out of the hospital, and the driver drove me home.
As soon as I walked in, I saw Leo sitting on the couch, laughing and chatting with my parents.
He was holding Snowball, and around the dog's neck was the protection cord I'd handmade for Lacey's birthday.
I'd stayed up all night making that cord for Lacey's third birthday, with a lock of her hair woven in.
Leo grinned, "Josh, you're back!"
He jumped up from the couch.
Leo said, "Snowball's obsessed with this cord. Ava said Lacey doesn't need it anymore, so I figured I'd let Snowball have it."
Lacey was right behind me. When she saw the protection cord around Snowball's neck, her eyes turned red.
But she didn't cry. She just grabbed onto my shirt.
I didn't say a word. I walked over and pulled the cord off Snowball.
Snowball freaked out and scratched my hand, leaving a trail of blood.
"Josh, are you crazy?" my dad shouted.
He rushed over.
"It's just a cord. Why are you getting worked up over it with the dog?"
"Yeah, Josh," Leo said.
Leo looked like he was about to cry.
"If you're upset, I'm sorry. Just don't freak out Snowball."
Suddenly, Lacey spoke up.
"Dad made that for me, not for the dog," she said.
Just then, Ava walked in. When she saw what was going on, her face fell.
"What's going on now?" she asked.
Leo hurried over and tugged at her hand.
"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have let Snowball play with the cord," he said.
Ava shot me a look full of blame.
"It's just a cord. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?" she said.
She ignored my protest, grabbed the cord right out of my hand, and tied it back around Snowball's neck.
"Lacey wouldn't have broken her arm if you didn't baby her all the time!" Ava snapped.
Lacey stared at the protection cord around Snowball's neck, her eyes shimmering with tears that refused to fall.
My fists clenched around the plane ticket for the day after tomorrow as I turned and walked back to my room in silence.
The next day, Madalyn called me into the study. On the desk was a divorce agreement.