His jaw tightened.
“She told me something during our walks.”
“What?”
“I spoke to Ryan about it.”
I stared at him.
“You spoke to my husband about my daughter without telling me?”
“I thought he would deal with it.”
“Deal with what?”
Travis hesitated.
That hesitation made me furious.
Apparently, two grown men had been discussing something affecting my child while I had been moving through my days completely unaware.
Finally, Travis said quietly, “Talk to Ryan first.”
For the first time in all the years I had known him, I wanted to scream at him.
Instead, I took Emma home.
And waited.
Part 5 — The Answers Ryan Wouldn’t Give Me
Ryan walked in shortly after six.
He took one look at me standing in the kitchen and stopped.
“Why was Melissa at Emma’s school?”
His face immediately changed.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
He knew exactly what I was talking about.
“I changed the pickup arrangement.”
“Without telling me?”
“You weren’t listening.”
I stared at him.
“Excuse me?”
“I told you I wasn’t comfortable with Travis.”
“And because I disagreed, you decided my opinion no longer mattered?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“You lied to Melissa and told her we agreed.”
Ryan rubbed both hands over his face.
“I didn’t want to drag her into our argument.”
I almost laughed.
“You sent her into our daughter’s school with false information. You absolutely dragged her into it.”
“I was trying to protect Emma.”
“From what?”
“Travis.”
“From what, Ryan?”
He looked away.
I stepped closer.
“You created two different pickup plans. You didn’t notify the school. You didn’t notify me. Emma had one adult telling her Daddy said one thing and another adult arriving because I had authorized something else.”
“I know.”
“No. I don’t think you do.”
My voice began shaking.
“Our seven-year-old was standing there wondering which grown-up she was supposed to believe.”
Ryan said nothing.
Then I gave him the part he clearly wasn’t prepared to hear.
“Emma told me she doesn’t trust you anymore.”
