Ms. Allen lowered her voice. “Ruby talks about Molly a lot. Not casually. She mentions her in stories, drawings, even during singing time. I didn’t want you to be blindsided.”
I nodded and smiled because that’s what adults do when they’re trying not to fall apart in front of children.
But inside, something cracked.
That night, after dinner and bath time, I lay beside Ruby as I tucked her under her Christmas blanket. I brushed her hair back and asked, as casually as I could manage, “Sweetheart… who’s Molly?”
Her face lit up instantly.
“Oh! Molly is Daddy’s friend.”
My heart dropped.
“Daddy’s friend?” I repeated.
The word echoed painfully.
“What do you do with her?” I asked, keeping my voice steady.
Ruby giggled. “Fun stuff! The arcade, and the café with the cookies. Sometimes we get hot chocolate even though Daddy says it’s too sweet.”
My blood ran cold.
“How long have you been seeing Molly?” I asked.
She counted on her fingers. “Since you started your new job. So… a loooong time.”
Six months.
Continued on the next page
