bed, his favorite stuffed d

t eyes looked up at

softer than I felt, "Mommy is go

ead, "Are you s

our hearts, sweetie. But Mommy... Mommy

ler, a firefighter, like his

e over for dinner sometime?

real firefighter? Can

ne day,

neck. "Okay, Mommy. If he

ears of relief, of love fo

y rock,

d when I told them I was

e's a good man, a widower himself, he understands loss. H

w the full story, the so

eptance, but of fury and a des

endersons invited me an

, of facing Mark as "David

for myself. I needed to see

dining table, the scent of

s" wife, was there, her belly ro

eyes holding a shadow

laying the doting husband to

sport, want to see the new tr

at it, this act

the easy smiles, it

irony. He was a father to Sarah's

r "Uncle David's" attent

at me, a flicker of some

Leo said, clearly, "No, thank you, U

mile faltering fo

e Da

been so form

Henderson exchanged uneasy glance

a strained laugh. "Okay,

en they met mine

mething ha