I Found My Daughter’s Note in Her Wet Backpack After I Picked Her Up From Her Dad’s — and Realized That Night Wasn’t the First

I had simply, finally, stopped making excuses for them.

A few weeks later, Patricia filed for divorce from Richard, and he called me one afternoon, his voice raw.

“Are you happy now?

Patricia’s gone.

My own daughter won’t speak to me.

Everyone I know thinks I’m a monster.”