I’m not sure why I’m taunting him. Maybe I just need my father…or at least the few scraps he’s willing to give me. I thought we made progress the night of the banquet…but any headway seems to have vanished. Who knows? With all the activity that’s been swirling around my brain, maybe I just imagined our breakthrough.

“Saturday’s the anniversary of the day Mom left,” I say. “Or did you forget?”

He doesn’t stop walking. Doesn’t turn around. “What would not working achieve? It won’t bring her back.”

“Maybe you don’t want her to come back,” I mutter.

He pauses mid-step. “What was that?”

I shouldn’t repeat my words. Dad’s always telling me he’s not comfortable with emotions—when I’m pretty sure he’s just not comfortable with me.

Well, too bad. Because he’s a parent, whether he likes it or not. I’ve spent six years keeping emotion out of our dialogue. Six years never saying how I really feel. Tonight, I’m done giving him a pass.

“You didn’t love her,” I say, louder now. More aggressive. “I know what you did at the end of your marriage. I know you had an affair.”

He wheels around, his eyes wide. “Is that what she said? How old were you back then? Eleven?”

I nod, a little surprised he remembers my age. A lot surprised at the pivot in conversation.

“Oh, honey. I’m sorry.” He moves forward, and his hands—the hands of my no-nonsense, all-business father—actually shake. “I had no idea you were dealing with that burden. If she wasn’t already gone, I’d choke the life out of her. To think what she put you through…”

I expect him to retreat, like he usually does at the first hint of conflict. Instead, he plunks down his coffee cup on the counter.

“I swear, your mother could talk herself into anything,” he says. “I was always devoted to her, Alice. I want you to know that. Not once did I stray from her physically.”

“What about emotionally?” I press. “Did you cheat on her, emotionally, with someone else?”

“I had no idea she saw it that way.” He shakes his head. “But I guess she must’ve, if she told you about it. She got so upset when she overheard us talking. But I didn’t know she was jealous. I mean, that’s absurd.”

“It’s not absurd, Dad,” I say heatedly. “If you were invested in somebody else, it’s natural for her to be hurt.”