Chapter 1

1: 1

The wife who'd promised to take our daughter to the amusement park for her birthday

was standing in a line on my way home from work, keeping Ivan Swanson company while he waited for some trendy viral ice cream.

I rushed over and grabbed her arm.

"Why are you here? Where's Wallis?"

Vivian Bailey froze, then hurried to explain.

"She's at the amusement park. I got her lined up for a ride and settled in, then slipped away to keep Ivan company for the ice cream."

Ivan looked at me nervously.

"I'm sorry, Carter. It's a limited release, they only sell the couples' set. I was really craving it, so I asked Vivian to wait in line with me."

I watched the two of them holding hands, playing at being a couple, and any last hope drained out of me.

I said it calmly.

"Vivian, this isn't the first time you've dropped me and our daughter for him."

"Since you can't be a good mother, we won't be needing you anymore."

With that, I turned and hurried off to pick up my daughter from the amusement park.

I hadn't taken more than a few steps before my phone rang.

The amusement park staffer's voice was rushed.

"Is this Wallis James's father? Your daughter fell while riding the express roller coaster. She's already been rushed to the hospital."

"What kind of parents are you? We asked more than once whether she was ten, we specifically warned you it's dangerous for a child under ten to ride, and you still put her on it!"

I couldn't make out anything after that. Cold all over, I looked at Vivian.

"Vivian, do you even know how old our daughter is this year?"

Looking at the blank, lost expression on her face, the tears poured down my cheeks.

"Vivian, you'd better be able to answer."

"Because if you can't, I won't let you or Ivan off. Not either of you."

1.

Vivian frowned and thought about it.

"Isn't she eight? Why are you asking?"

I stared at her, dazed.

I'd thought she'd only gotten Wallis's age wrong.

The truth was she hadn't even listened to the safety rule the staff kept stressing. She'd only wanted to get our daughter onto the longest ride as fast as possible, so she could slip away and buy ice cream with Ivan.

A ridiculous laugh escaped me.

"Vivian, we're done."

I turned to flag down a cab, but she grabbed at me, asking in disbelief.

"You want a divorce just because I got our daughter's age wrong?"

Ivan gave her a gentle nudge and forced a smile.

"Vivian, forget it. I don't want it anymore."

He glanced at the window, almost at the front of the line now, his eyes going faintly red.

"We only missed it by a few minutes, but it's fine. I've given up Dad and you to Carter already. Giving up one ice cream too is nothing."

At that, Vivian looked at me, her heart aching for him.

"It was only ten minutes. Whatever happened, it can't come down to ten minutes, can it?"

I threw her hand off and got into the cab that had just stopped.

Vivian seemed to be calling my name,

but I didn't look back.

By the time I reached the hospital, Wallis was still in emergency surgery.

The nurse handed me a form.

"The child fell from a height. There are injuries to her head, chest, and abdomen. Sign here first. Where's the child's mother?"

I held the pen, my hand shaking so badly I could barely write.

"She's busy."

The nurse glanced at me, her eyes full of pity, and didn't ask anything more.

I sat outside the emergency room, shivering, cold all over.

My phone suddenly rang, and my mother's angry voice came down the line.

"Carter James, Vivian just kept Ivan company for some ice cream, and you're making a scene over it! They're childhood friends, what's wrong with being a little close? Don't think marrying Vivian gives you the right to throw fits!"

"Your Uncle Neil won't even give me a decent look now! Ivan finally accepted me as his stepmother. Do you have to ruin all of it?"

I looked at the sealed doors of the emergency room, my voice breaking.

"Are you finished?"

"Then do you have any idea that Vivian, just to be with Ivan, put six-year-old Wallis on a roller coaster that requires riders to be ten?"

"Wallis fell off it. She's still in emergency surgery right now!"