The Day Our Promise Breaks

"No, I got held up with something."

Charles responded in a subdued voice, carrying Sandy into the house.

Under the bright lights, Dahlia, whose attention had been fixed on Charles, noticed his lower lip was cut. It looked like someone had bitten it. Dahlia's smile froze for a moment.

Was Evelyn the "something" that held Charles up? Was she using her charms to keep him by her side?

...

Eight-thirty was Sandy's bedtime every night. After bathing her, Dahlia carried her to bed.

Charles picked up a bedtime storybook and sat by the bed, ready to lull her to sleep.

Sandy snuggled into his embrace, hugged his neck, and cooed softly, "Daddy, please don't go tonight. Stay and sleep with me and Mommy, okay?"

Dahlia had just finished tidying up the bathroom and stepped out. She frowned upon hearing this and scolded her daughter, "Sandy, don't make a fuss."

extremely hurt for being scolded by her mom. Tears quickly filled her eyes, and she watched Dahlia with a whimpering cry. "I'm not making a fuss. I just want to sleep with you and

with their Mommy and Daddy, so why can't

daughter cry like this, Dahlia felt a pang of heartache. Wearing the clothes that got wet from bathing Sandy, Dahlia quickly walked to the bed and bent down to

from his position. She was curvaceous and perfectly

seemed to have all her attention drawn to her

Sandy. Stop crying, okay? The doctor just told you yesterday not

Her small hands clutched Charles'

dimmed. She suddenly forcefully pulled Sandy into her embrace and forced a smile at Charles. "Charles, don't mind her. She'll stop crying soon. It's getting late. You should head back

she had been abandoned. She cried softly, "Daddy,

intermittently, looking

rest well. Getting too worked up was not

Charles

...

early in

didn't refuse and