Page 130 of Sincerely, Your Enemy

Daniel is sitting at the table, having coffee and wearing his reading glasses as he stares at something on his tablet—probably the news. Some things never change.

“Morning,” I say mid-yawn.

He looks up at me, and his face immediately changes.

Worry flashes in his gaze, but he doesn’t comment on my messy hair or the dark circles underneath my eyes.

“Morning, sweetie. You hungry? I made enchiladas.”

“Starving. Have the kids eaten yet?”

He laughs. “Yup. And let me tell you, it was no easy task getting them to leave you some.”

I force a small laugh. “Let me guess, they came, inhaled their food, and then disappeared back into their rooms?”

He smiles. “Pretty much. Oh, but Oli did say thank you after he burped the roof off the house.”

I crack a laugh and walk over to the kitchen cabinet to grab a plate. The enchiladas are still steaming hot, placed in an aluminum tray on the stove.

“Dad?” I ask as I’m serving myself.

“Yes, honey?” he replies, his focus drifting back to his tablet.

“Why do you have all this stuff in your car?”

Call me blunt, but I’m too tired for pleasantries.

He doesn’t answer right away, stunned by my question. I spin and drop onto the chair across from his at the table. I dig into myfood, still looking at him as he thinks hard and long, seemingly uncomfortable.

“I…” He closes his mouth. “Your mother and I are getting a divorce.”

It’s a miracle I don’t choke on my enchilada or spit it out.

I haven’t even had a chance to swallow before he adds, “We’ve been separated for a month now.”

Oh. My. God.

My thoughts are racing, but the thought at the forefront of my mind is, “Whose decision was it?”

He stops to think about it, a sign that it’s not that simple. “Mostly mine.”

I slouch back into my seat. “But… what brought this on?”

He hesitates.

“She found out I’d been sending you money and gave me an ultimatum. Stop helping you out, or get a divorce.”

Wow.

I knew my mom was petty, but I never thought she hated my siblings so much she’d divorce her husband over it.

In a way, this is my fault. Daniel went behind her back to send me money because I decided to take care of Oli and Sierra.

“Why didn’t you just stop sending me money?” I ask.

He didn’t have to choose us. I never even asked him for that money. He always offered it out of the kindness of his heart.

“What kind of father leaves their kid high and dry?”

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