“You were planning to leave him out in the country for the whole coming school year without ever telling his mother,” I said, the awful realization sinking like lead into my chest.

“I was trying to keep a roof over our heads and keep this family from going under in bankruptcy, Claire, while you were totally checked out,” he shouted back.

In the living room next door, the loud yelling made tiny Hailey let out a startled, piercing scream that quickly woke her brother Mason.

Gretchen appeared in the wide kitchen archway with Hailey on her shoulder, rocking Mason’s cradle with the toe of her orthopedic shoe.

“Could you two please lower your voices before you give these poor innocent babies an anxiety attack?” Gretchen scolded, glaring straight at me.