She lifted the final item in the card—a sonogram picture of what she knew was Phil’s baby, with an arrow showing it was a boy. He was having a son. She stared at it for close to a minute, her mind almost in a fog, as she tried to come to terms with the fact she was staring at his son with another woman. She set down the slip of paper and focused again on the photo of Phil sleeping in their Steamboat condo. She took a picture of the image with her cell phone before crumbling it in her fist and squeezing it into a small ball. She did the same with the other three pictures before gathering the card, sonogram image and crumbled pictures and carrying them into the bathroom. She stuffed everything into the right pocket of Phil’s white terry-cloth robe.

Twenty minutes later, Lina entered the kitchen with a small suitcase in her hand. She set down the case as her eyes focused on the roses. She reached into the vase, lifted out the flowers and carried them out of the kitchen and toward the front of the house, unconcerned with the water dripping on the floor. Seconds later, she was stuffing them in the toilet in the master bathroom.

When she returned to the kitchen, Katie was coming through the mudroom door.

“Happy birthday,” Katie said.

“Thanks. How was school?” Lina’s words sounded forced to her ears, but Katie didn’t seem to notice.

“Good.” Katie’s eyes fell to the suitcase beside the table. “Are you going somewhere?”

“To the beach with Diane for the weekend.”

Katie frowned. “On your birthday? Dad said I couldn’t make plans because we were taking you out to dinner.”

“No.” Lina shook her head. “He forgot I planned this weekend. I didn’t realize it was my birthday.”

“So you’re leaving us with him? I don’t want to be alone with Dad all weekend.”

“You’ll be fine.”

As soon as Lina got in her car, she was calling Adele. “Please don’t say anything and just listen. I’m kicking Phil out.”

“What?” Adele exclaimed.

“I’m telling him to be gone by Sunday afternoon.” She drew in a shaky breath. “Please stop by tomorrow and make sure the kids are okay.”

“What in the hell is going on? Is he back with her?”

“No—I can’t talk right now. Will you stop by?”

“Of course, but where are you going to be?”

“I have to go.” She ended the call and then pulled up Phil’s name. Moments later she was drafting a text.

You ruined our life. I want you out by Sunday afternoon. I just left and will return after you’re gone. She covered her mouth as a small cry escaped, and then she was sending the message.