Brenda said I was making her feel like a guest in her own marriage.

At the time I’d felt torn between a grieving child and a wife who wanted to belong.

Now I understood that the two needs had never been equal.

Brenda could ask to be included.

Hailey could not be asked to erase her mother.

“There was also the preschool pickup,” I said.

Rachel waited.

“Three weeks ago, Hailey’s teacher said she seemed unusually anxious on days Brenda collected her.