Summer Vacation: He Chose Another Woman's Kid
On the first day of summer break, my husband, Alfred Manning, cancels the family trip I have booked again.
He reasons that his childhood sweetheart, Edna Moore, has just gotten divorced. She needs a trip to Flordale with her son to clear their heads.
Alfred finds her pitiful, so that is how the trip my daughter, Bella Manning, has spent two semesters earning with her gold stars turns into another child's vacation.
Hugging her stuffed animal, Bella looks up at me with tear-filled eyes and asks, "Is Daddy not coming again?"
The word "again" makes my heart throb in pain.
Alfred wires some money into my account and sends a soothing voice note. "Just take Bella to a local park or something. She's just a kid, so it's the same to her no matter where she goes."
Meanwhile, Edna posts a photo on X, showing Alfred cradling her son in his arms.
"You don't need a biological bond to be the best dad in the world."
It hits me then that Bella and I are the only ones working hard to protect this family.
That night, I change our family passes into two one-way tickets that are bound for the new city where I'm relocated for work.
"What about Daddy's pass?"
I tear the canceled boarding pass into shreds.
"He has already made his choice."