The next morning, the sun filtered into the room like it had no idea of the shadows creeping in my mind. I dressed quickly, dividing my attention between the mundane tasks of the morning and the chaos in my thoughts. David helped Oliver get ready for school, his patience a thin veneer over simmering anger.
As we drove to the school, I kept replaying yesterday’s conversation in my head. The woman in David’s life who had always viewed me with veiled hostility was his sister, Laura. Laura, who had never quite accepted me into the family, who had once joked that she was the only woman David truly needed in his life. It had been a weird, possessive joke, but in the moment it seemed harmless. Now, it felt like a seed that had sprouted into something ugly.
We walked into the school, hand in hand, a united front of determination. The principal’s office was small, lined with awards and class photos. Mrs. Campbell was already seated there, her expression a careful mask of professionalism tinged with discomfort.
