Twelve Months Later, Ethan Came Back With a Sleeping Newborn and a Broken Suitcase

I didn’t need to fight him for the house today.

I just needed to get my son and the baby out of this room.

I looked at the blue canvas duffel bag resting by Ethan’s feet.

It was the same bag Richard had packed a year ago when he forced our son out into the cold.

“Pick up your bag, Ethan,” I said.

“Mom, we can’t leave the baby,” Ethan said.

“Pick up the duffel bag,” I repeated.