“Then maybe you should start listening.” Dagmar’s usually friendly gaze had turned steely. “Do you have any doubt that I love you?”

“No.”

“Then perhaps it’s time to accept that I’m doing this for your own good. We all are. I’m worried about you. This is more than mourning, Unity. This is a kind of mental torture I can’t understand. Your love for Stuart wasn’t any greater than any other love, but your determination to stay trapped in the pain of your loss certainly is.”

The harsh words shocked her enough that she stopped crying. “There’s nothing wrong with me.”

“All evidence to the contrary.” Dagmar waved at the building. “It was an open house and yet here you are, acting like I’ve just sold you into sexual slavery. You need to get over yourself.”

“Are you mad at me?”

Dagmar sighed. “No. Disappointed.”

Unity stiffened. “Then I should probably take you home.”

“Yes, you probably should.”

After a morning of rides and more rides, Ellen and Lissa decided to escape from the guys and get in a little shopping time. Main Street in Disneyland had dozens of stores filled with fun items they discovered they could not live without.

Ellen fingered an Elsa dress. “Why don’t they make these in adult sizes?” she asked. “I could so rock an Elsa dress.”

Lissa’s eyes widened. “Where? You know you couldn’t wear that at school.”

Ellen thought about the looks on her students’ faces if she waltzed into class wearing an Elsa dress. Impossible, but so fun to think about.

“It would change the classroom dynamic,” she said with a laugh.

“You’d hear from the parents for sure.”

Ellen picked up a tiara. “I can’t help it. I love all things Frozen.”

Lissa showed her a stuffed Sven. “How about this instead?”

The friendly reindeer doll was smiling. And pricey, but she’d yet to buy anything for herself. “I’m tempted,” she admitted, as her phone buzzed.

She pulled it out of her pocket and saw she had a text from Jeremy. Ugh, she thought, opening it. But maybe he would give her a little insight into his lunch with Coop yesterday. All her son had told her was he’d had a good time and that his dad was a really cool guy.

Thanks again for letting me have lunch with Cooper yesterday. He’s such a great kid. You must be so proud of him. You did a wonderful job, Ellen. I want to tell you I have regrets, but I gave up that right a long time ago.

Yes, you did, she thought, watching the three dots that indicated he was typing again.

I appreciate you being willing to let him come stay with me later this summer. He and I talked about a week, but maybe we can make it two. I told Lucy and the girls about him last night and they’re all excited. Let’s firm up the details when you two get back to Willowbrook.