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

“Maybe later,” she said.

“I want space for my drawing.”

We put up a board for pictures instead.

It was crooked on the first attempt.

I fixed it.

Lily watched, then held the next pin ready for me.

She did not need to learn that every useful thing Derek had done must be destroyed.

She needed a room where the arrangement could change because she wanted it to.