teny

ove everything Uncle

view and leaned her head against Beau's s

. Mommy will bring you

ker. "Daddy never comes home at night anyway. I'

sion softened

Beau promises to bring y

into my ribs and twisted my heart in two. Watching them comfort the child

urning moisture in my eyes, and wa

amilah were already waiting there. Beau tossed the big LEGO bag into t

wander off to?"

t look

vegetabl

he bags of asparagus and brocco

esn't eat a

him slap his fork onto the table and leave the room. Yet now, for Kamilah, he didn't even care about

oved and the woman he used actually made my chest feel ligh

flat, emot

irs and buy so

runk shut. "You didn't tell

pick out Kamilah's food, only to ditch me the second s

k what I g

try bags, breaking the standoff. Beau immediately turned tow

u sent me away to

beamed

as soon as we get home." Catching sight of me by the driver's door, she quic

he car door. Watching me slide into the seat without a

ocery bags on the dining table and went straight

Kamilah's hesitant voice

raw vegetables here. I do

lost in thought as he stared u

d voice broke

lah cook with a cut hand? Where did that w

hick in his voice. "Kamilah's hand isn't

m the driveway. The two bags of vegetables sat untouched on the dining table. Years ago, the estate had kitch

fridge. Just as I filled a pot of water to boil plain nood

t on emergency maternity leave," the Dean said. "Could

ld take about four weeks. Teaching at Columbia would keep me out

e it, Dea

diately assigned to lead a week-long closed-door urban design ch