I wish I could say Mom yelled at him. I wish I could say she threw the papers in his face or smashed the cake or did anything that matched what he deserved.
But she just sat there. Her face went blank in a way that scared me.
That night, Dad packed a suitcase while the rest of us stood there in disbelief. Ben paced. Nora was furious in that dangerously quiet way she had. Lucy stayed glued to Mom. Owen looked completely lost.
When Dad came down the hallway with his bag, Mom stopped him at the door. “You’re leaving now?”
“I’ll come back for the rest later.”
He stepped past her and left.
After that, everything unraveled quickly.
Within weeks, Dad was posting photos online with a woman named Tessa who looked like she was in her twenties—only a few years older than me.
It made me sick.
They were at rooftop bars, wineries, beach resorts. Dad bought new clothes, whitened his teeth, and got an expensive haircut. Nora checked his social media every day.
“You’re really going to keep watching this?” Ben asked once.
