hance to present a united front, to show everyone that the rumors were just rumors. For Lily's sak

s and polite smiles. We had just laid out our blanket when I saw the

ntrast to my simple jeans and t-shirt. She moved with the pra

t, her voice a little too loud

th a dismissive glance before landing on Mark. "And this must be Ava. It

I forced a tight-lipped smil

tiful poems. In French, of course. So much more romantic than English, don't

ing the same expensive doll from the

ily, her voice carrying. "He said he would take me there one day,

e in my chest. I looked at Mark, whose fa

t of his stupor. He knelt down, but not to

is voice full of a warmth and affection I ha

of words. Daisy giggled and responded in equally fluent Frenc

she whispered, tugging on my sleeve. She felt the shift, the sudden wall that had

spoken French to Lily. He had ne

ark, adding her own comments in French, their conversation flowing effortlessly, leaving

artist, easily sidelined, easily intimidated. They didn't know that my mother

merry chatter. Then, in flawle

n't understand, Scarlett. Especially when you are telling your dau

t's jaw dropped. Mark stared at me, h

voice calm and level, but my

uage you've never bothered to share with your own c

her 'daddy' when you know he has a family? That's not just pa

d, stammered, "I... I don't kn

oice. But it wasn't directed at Scarle

e then looked down at Lily, who had started to cry from the tens

. He didn't defend me. He didn't deny Scarlett's claims. He defende

isive. I picked up our blanket, shakin

ce steady. I would not let them

the picnic, the laughter and music, faded behind us. All I could hear was the sound of my own footsteps on the grass, carrying

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