On Father's Day, My Husband Played Dad to His Ex's Kid

For the ninety-ninth time, my husband walked out on me and our daughter to go play "stand-in dad" to the kid of his single-mom ex.

Afterward, like always, he wired me $5.20 and called it an apology.

He said the boy had grown up without a father, that it was a pitiful thing, that he was just doing the decent thing and helping out.

For three years I never screamed, never fought. I just quietly saved every one of those ninety-nine ugly little transfer receipts.

I told myself that if I was understanding enough, patient enough, he'd eventually bring his heart back home.