You didn’t make vows to me.
He did.” I looked at Ryan.
“But I want that bear back.
Whatever he left there.
I want it back.”
“I’ll bring it,” she said immediately.
“I’ll leave it with the front office at his school tomorrow morning.
He won’t even have to know.”
“Thank you.”
I reached over and ended the call.
Ryan hadn’t moved.
His phone sat between us like a third person at the table.
“Eight months,” I said.
“And she knows his favorite stuffed animal.”
“Lauren—”
“I need you to go stay somewhere else tonight.”
He looked up.
“Where?”
“I don’t care, Ryan.
Your brother’s.
A hotel.
Anywhere that isn’t here.” I picked up his phone and held it out to him.
“Toby and I need to eat dinner and do bath time and read his book and go to sleep like a normal night.
And I cannot do any of that with you in this house right now.”
Ryan took the phone.
He sat there another moment, like he was waiting for something — permission, or an argument, or a door to open that would let him back in.
It didn’t open.
He pushed back his chair and stood up.
