I’m doing this to protect my girls.”

“So you’re just going to ruin my entire weekend?” Melissa asked.

“Is that what you wanted all along?”

I could have brought up the cruel text messages she had sent while I was lying in the recovery room.

I could have yelled at her until the security guard at the end of the hall came over to check on us.

Instead, I reached into my sweater pocket and pulled out a five-dollar bill.