“Did you have fun today, sweetie?” I asked her, pressing my finger gently against her nose as I sat at the side of her bed. Her little giggle made my heart feel light, even after such an emotionally charged day.
Rose smiled and nodded excitedly. “It was a lot of fun,” she confirmed, her voice bright and unguarded.
I always felt like I was failing her in some way when Rich wouldn’t show up. It wasn’t just about him letting her down—it felt like I was letting her down too. I had made a choice, after all, to bring him into her life, and every time he failed her, I bore a part of that responsibility. But Benjamin had stepped up in ways I never could have anticipated. Taking Rose to the zoo, lifting her up to see the giraffes, laughing along with her as she pointed out the penguins waddling a
