One Party Game Proved I Don't Belong Here

I quietly stood up without a word and left the living room just before my tears could fall.

Behind me, my son, Max Schofield, complained, "What's wrong with him now? All he does is ruin the mood."

My wife, Louise Young, wasn't affected at all. "No idea. Just let him be. It's not like this is the first time, anyway."

The offhand remark made me stop dead in my tracks.

It was Max's seventh birthday today. I had gone to the grocery store first thing in the morning, bought all the ingredients, baked his birthday cake, and spent hours decorating our home to be party-ready.

To my surprise, when Louise came home with him, she had also brought along her ex-boyfriend, Matthew Parker, who had lived abroad for the past seven years.

Her excuse was, "Matthew just got back. He doesn't really have any friends here, so I thought I'd bring him along to liven things up."

So, the entire evening, they catered to him as if he were the birthday boy.

Matthew was afraid of balloons, so Louise tore down the decorations I had spent all day putting up. He casually mentioned being thirsty, so Max instantly ran to fetch him water.

Even my mother-in-law, Elaine Horton, who was usually stern, made an exception for him. She held his hands and smiled so widely that her eyes crinkled into slits.

Later, everyone played Guess Who. When Max drew my name, they took turns describing me.

"Terrible temper."

"Controlling."

"No class."

I would be lying if I said those words didn't sting.

Then, when it was Matthew's turn, Max said, "He's good-looking and classy. Mom likes him and wants him to be my daddy."

My face instantly turned pale. For a moment, I thought I had misheard him.

Louise glanced at me. "Kids say the darndest things."

Elaine pursed her lips. "He's just a child. Don't take it to heart."

Matthew rested his arms along the back of the couch and gave me a challenging smile. "Don't get the wrong idea, Harlan. Max is just a kid. You can't take everything he says seriously."

His voice turned gentle, but his eyes brimmed with obvious triumph.

They spoke as if I really was the short-tempered, petty villain they had all made me out to be.

Recalling the ridiculous scene that had just unfolded, I clenched my fingers and continued upstairs. A burst of laughter came from the living room. They had resumed the game.

When it was Louise's turn to describe Matthew, her tone turned solemn. "He's someone I've been secretly thinking about for the last eight years."