Good.
I didn’t want revenge through my daughter.
Near the end, she asked, “What outcome are you hoping for, Madeline?”
I had no answer.
I knew what Sophie needed, which bills were due, and what Elon liked for dinner.
“What outcome are you hoping for, Madeline?”
I hadn’t asked what I wanted in months.
“I don’t know yet.”
“Then don’t choose from panic. Get your information first.”
That stayed with me.
Two nights later, I told Elon I’d confirmed my return to work.
He looked up from his phone.
“Get your information first.”
“You already decided?”
“I always planned to go back.”
“I thought we were still discussing it.”
“We discussed it. I listened. Then I made my decision.”
His expression tightened.
“And Sophie?”
“We’ll arrange childcare.”
“You don’t need to do this, Maddie.”
“I want to work.”
He stood and paced toward the dresser.
“Why are you suddenly making everything harder?”
I stared at him.
“Harder for who?”
He stopped.
Then he said, “If something ever happened with us, you’d probably want to stay home with Sophie anyway.”
My hands froze over the onesie I was folding.
“What exactly would happen with us?”
His face changed.
“I didn’t mean anything by that.”
“You mentioned us splitting up.”
“It was hypothetical, Madeline. We have a child now. These conversations happen.”
“Have you thought about it?”
He gave a short laugh. “Everybody thinks about things.”
Later that night, I found Elon with Sophie asleep against his chest.
He smiled down at her, then rested a hand on my knee when I sat beside him.
For one painful moment, I wanted to ask if he still loved me.
Instead, I understood I could love him and still refuse what he’d done.
“Everybody thinks about things.”
Sunday was our anniversary.
I changed my original plan and invited both families.
My parents, Sam and Jessica, arrived first. Mom took Sophie while Dad tried to steal mashed potatoes.
Then Elon’s parents, Eve and Alex, arrived with a pie and a small board book for Sophie.
The house filled with familiar, warm voices.
Nobody knew why I’d invited them.
I didn’t need anyone to fight for me.
I needed the truth outside my own head.
Before dinner, Elon stood at the kitchen counter opening wine.
