“But have you sat down with her and talked to her about your expectations? Did you cover things like limiting TV and GameCube? Did you talk to her about their diet and how we’re concerned about William’s weight?”

The basketball court is loud, echoing with the dribbling of balls and referee whistles. I have to raise my voice to be heard. “No, I haven’t sat down with her yet, but we talked, and we’ll continue to talk. She’s only been with us two afternoons.”

“I just don’t want her giving them crap. They eat enough crap as it is.”

“I don’t feed them crap.”

He doesn’t look at me; instead he focuses on a point just past my shoulder. “No fast food, no fries, no cheeseburgers, no chicken nuggets.”

The buzzer sounds. The game’s about to start. “Daniel, I cook dinner.”

“I don’t want her to cop out, do the lazy thing.”

“She won’t be taking them to Wendy’s or McDonald’s, okay?”

“I want to meet her. Cover the rules with her myself.”

He’s concerned that the sitter will just feed William more crap.

“She’s not going to feed them crap,” I say wearily, hating that we’ve come to this and knowing we’re just going downhill from here, knowing we’re back to the anger, the verbal sparring, the seething discontent. It’s a he-says, she-says, and no one is going to win. “And she’s only at my house part-time, just two to three hours a day, Monday through Friday.”

“Why? So you can go back to see your boy toy?”

I stiffen, ignore the jab at Kai, because this isn’t about Kai, it’s about me. Daniel hates that he can’t control me anymore. “Because I need the help. I can’t get everything done—”

“You would if you used your time better. Didn’t run around so much. Didn’t meet your friends for lunch all the time.”

“Do you help organize Melinda’s schedule, too? Or does she already do everything perfectly?” The game has started, and we’re missing William play just to fight. How pathetic is that?

“You’re not a businesswoman, Jackie.”

Not a businesswoman? I’m a damn successful businesswoman. Maybe not a venture capitalist like Daniel, and maybe I don’t bring in the income he does, but I’m smart and creative, and I’m making a name for myself.

I step closer, drop my voice, jab my finger toward the ground. “You don’t know the first thing about me, Daniel,” I hiss, oblivious to anyone and everything but the bitterness between us. “Just because you were married to me doesn’t mean you knew me or understood me.”

“Vice versa! You were so involved with the kids and your little decorating projects, you didn’t have a clue what I needed. You didn’t even know I was there.”