Chapter 3

3

Caleb didn't come home that night. Whenever it involved Sutton, he always found a reason to stay.

Maybe he remembered he still had a wife and a daughter in the middle of the biggest week of her life. He sent a text at 6:00 AM.

"I'm busy at the office. Make sure Macy leaves early. This is a big day, don't let her be late."

He sounded like such a devoted father.

I hadn't slept at all. I spent the night on my daughter's bed, smelling the fading scent of her perfume. I stared at the message blankly.

Caleb and I met through a setup. We'd been married for eighteen years. There were times when things were good.

But two years ago, his first love, Sutton, moved back to the country. He made her his secretary. Since then, we hadn't had a single peaceful conversation.

He found me annoying because I didn't give him a son. He hated that I was a stay-at-home mom with no "sophisticated" hobbies.

When a man falls out of love, even the way his wife breathes is a sin.

He forgot the promises he made when he slipped the ring on my finger. He forgot how he used to massage my swollen knees after Macy was born.

I didn't reply. My flight was in six days. I had too much to do. I had an appointment to look at burial plots.

Macy loved the mountains. I found a spot at the top of a hill, facing the sun. Tall trees shaded the area, and the summer light danced on the empty stone.

"I'll take these two adjacent spots," I told the salesperson.

The salesman's eyes lit up. "You have great taste, ma'am! This area is prime real estate. Do you want to look at a few more for investment?"

"On this headstone, I want the name Maverick. M-a-v-e-r-i-c-k."

I touched the cold marble. "Keep the one next to it for me. When I go, I want to be with my daughter."

The salesman went silent. He looked at me with pity.

A mother burying her child. It's a pain that breaks the soul.

I ignored his gaze. "If anyone asks, keep these locations private. I don't want anyone to find them."

Macy didn't get any love from the Miller family while she was alive. I wasn't going to let Caleb have a place to play the grieving father now.

After paying, I walked down the hill. Near the office, I saw two familiar figures on a bench.

My husband was holding Sutton, wiping her tears with total tenderness. His own eyes were red with grief.

Anyone would have thought they were a couple mourning their child.

I walked up and stood right in front of them.

Caleb looked up and froze. Panic flashed across his face, followed immediately by irritation.

"Leona? Are you stalking me? Why aren't you at the testing center waiting for Macy?"

He attacked first. I didn't flinch. "You're not with your daughter during her exams because you're here with her?"

"Watch your mouth!" Caleb snapped. "Sutton is my secretary and my friend. She just lost someone very close to her. Am I not allowed to comfort her?"

"Macy is just taking a test! If she fails, she can retake it next year. How can you compare that to a life-and-death tragedy?"

Just then, the salesman walked up. "Mr. Miller, Ms. Pierce, the plot for your pet is ready. Shall we proceed with the service?"

My nails dug into my palms. I wanted to laugh.

"A life-and-death tragedy? She can just retake it next year?"