"Mom, I''m your real son! How can you only want Daisy and not me?"


    Henry''s words came out in a choked sob, pain tightening his chest until he could barely breathe. He''d never felt this miserable in his whole life.


    Jessica''s voice was cold as steel. "Didn''t you already decide you wanted someone else to be your mother? Go be their son, then. I don''t have a son like you."


    She pulled her hand free of his, brushing him off with a flick of her wrist. As she turned to leave, Sallie stormed forward, hand raised, ready to p Jessica across the face.


    But just as Sallie''s hand was about toe down, Herbert stepped in front of Jessica and Daisy, blocking the blow.


    Timothy moved quickly too, inserting himself between Sallie and the rest. Sallie''s pnded squarely on Timothy''s cheek.


    She was furious-her hand hit hard. Timothy, already unsteady on his injured leg, lost his bnce and crashed to the ground, his cane ttering away.


    Jessica''s heart lurched. She had never seen Timothy-usually so dignified and untouchable-look so helpless.


    Sallie and Timothy had been born on the exact same day, even the same hour, but she''d always doted on him. The moment her hand struck his face, regret filled her. She hurried to help him up, as did Henry, who rushed to his father''s side. Sallie also picked up the cane and tried to steady Timothy.


    Jessica looked away, turning to Herbert. "Let''s go."


    She wanted nothing more to do with their family drama. Today was supposed to be a fun day at the amusement park with Daisy, and running into them had been nothing but bad luck.


    Timothy watched as Jessica walked away without so much as a backward nce. The emptiness inside him widened until he could barely stand.


    He got to his feet, bracing himself with his cane. Sallie fussed over him, brushing dust from his clothes and muttering, "Timothy, I''m so angry my stomach hurts. What''s be of us? Not so long ago, everything was fine, the family was happy. Now, in just a couple months, everything''s fallen apart."


    The Lawsons used to be the picture of harmony. And the Gilded Whisper Estates -Jessica had always kept things running like clockwork. Sallie couldn''t ept how much had changed.


    "I told you a thousand times, treat her better. Why did ite to this?"


    Timothy pushed Sallie away, not wanting her to fix his jacket. "Can you really me me? Did you hear what she said? What kind of mother says that to her own child?"


    "If you want to me someone, me yourself. She''s speaking the truth. You should talk to Henry!"


    Henry burst into tears, his sobs loud and raw. After the things his mom said, now even his dad was ming him. It was more than he could handle.


    "You''re not meless either. All you ever do is scold the child," Sallie said, quickly putting her arms around Henry tofort him. "Let''s not bother with them, sweetheart. Auntie''s going to take you to have some fun."


    Sallie scooped Henry up and walked away, determined not to let him suffer any more. The two adults-honestly, neither of them had any sense.


    "Auntie, does Mom really not want me anymore?"


    "Oh, sweetheart, of course she wants you. She gave birth to you-nothing can change that. No matter what happens, you''ll always be her son. Daisy doesn''t have a mom or dad, so your mom just feels sorry for her and wants to help her out, that''s all."


    "But Auntie, you''re lying... She just said she doesn''t have a son like me."


    Sallie paused, thinking it over, then pressed on gently, "Listen, She is your dad''s aunt-she''s your great-aunt, not your mom. How


    could you call her ''Mom''


    mom


    was already upset about Daisy, and then you went and called She ''Mom''-of course she was hurt! Next time you see She, you have to call her ''Aunt She,'' okay? As soon as you do that, your mom will forgive you, I promise."


    "Really?"


    "Absolutely."


    The two of them chatted as they made their way toward the rides.


    Back by the roller coaster, Timothy stood leaning on his cane, watching Jessica and Herbert''s retreating figures. His eyes stung. The sun felt all wrong today-far too bright, far too harsh.


    They boarded the roller coaster, just the three of them-Herbert, Jessica, and Daisy, who sat in the middle. Timothy hobbled closer as the ride started watching the car speed away until it disappeared from view. Even so, when the track dipped and whirled, he could still hear Daisy and Jessica''s excitedughter echoing through the air.


    It wasn''t a long ride. Soon enough,


    the roller coaster returned, their


    ет


    Herbert lifted Daisy out first, then offered Jessica his arm to help her down.


    Timothy couldn''t hold back any longer. His voice was icy. "Jessica, do you even notice that I exist?"


    Jessica met his frosty gaze head-on. Her voice was even colder: "Did you ever? Even before we talked about divorce, did you ever really matter? How can you even ask me that?"