My Daughter Begged Me Not to Get Off the Bus—Minutes Later, My Boyfriend Sent a Photo of My Deed Beside a Contract I Had Never Signed

“Traffic was better than I expected,” he said.

I stood in the doorway waiting for another explanation.

“That really is all,” he added.

I laughed, embarrassed.

He smiled and asked whether Lily had remembered her soccer shoes.

I went to look for them.

We did not become perfect co-parents.

There were late messages and disagreements about small things.