When I asked my daughter Ellie who else she wanted at her birthday, she smiled and said, “The pretty lady who visits Daddy when you’re at work.” My heart stopped. I had no idea who she meant, but Ellie was sure: the woman with long hair who always hugged Daddy goodbye.
I didn’t confront my husband, Jake, right away. Instead, I waited. On party day, the doorbell rang and there she was. A young woman with long dark hair, holding a gift bag. “Hi, I’m Lila,” she said softly. Ellie ran over, beaming. “Mommy, that’s her!” Jake went pale the second he saw her. In the kitchen, the truth came out: