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her arms. “Your children playing? Do they even know you have children?”
    “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” His volume resounding.
    The girls cowered together. Laurel lifted Rori into her arms and caressed her hair. A mother’s responsibility not a twelve-year-olds. The three of them bolted out of the den and toward their rooms.
    “It means I don’t think you know you have children, let alone the people you work with.”
    “How dare you. Of course I know I have children, their picture’s on my desk.”
    “A picture?” Heather shook her head. A photograph to prove his worth. “What picture?”
    “The one you gave me. The one from Jamaica.”
    “Jamaica?” All emotion drained from Heather’s body. “We went there before Rori was born.” She traipsed into the kitchen unable to look at him further.
    “That’s your fault, you never gave me an updated picture. Your attempt to make me look like a fool at the firm.” His hand slammed hard into the kitchen wall. “You’ve never supported me. You want to see me fail.”
    “I’ve never supported you? All I do is support you.”
    “You lie, right there before me. I’ve struggled at this firm for nine years to make partner and all I hear from your mouth is worthless crap about the kids.”
    “Worthless? They’re your children.”
    “Don’t you understand? I am working day and night. I don’t have time for this.”
    “Time for your daughters?”
    “Look, I’ve taken them on vacations.”
    “Vacations of your choice, all they’ve ever wanted was to go to Disney.”
    “Disney, are you serious? I can’t walk around Disney.” His face curled up into a head of cauliflower.
    “Why not?”
    “A high profile lawyer does not prance around Disneyland with Mickey Mouse and Adana.”
    “It’s Aurora.”
    “You think you’re funny, don’t you?” He leaned over, pressing his hand on the sheetrock above her head. “I’ll have you know, if it wasn’t for my hard work the girls wouldn’t have experienced the things they have so far.”
    “You? You’ve never done anything with them. Ever.” Heather took a step to the right and then turned way. Pointless to continue. His ignorance amazed her. How someone could be so intelligent, yet so blind. He acted as if his girls were strangers, tenants living in separate parts of the house. He would never realize, it was clear now. Three children and still nothing.
    It was his mother’s fault of course, she contributed to the madness. Showering him with presents and not bringing any for the girls. Throwing him a party when the law firm hired him, the same year Gia turned one. His party eclipsed hers. Completely intentional.
    Were they invisible? They were such wonderful girls, hilarious and full of life. It would never improve. How could she compete against such lunacy?
    ****
    “This is ridiculous.” The new nurse slammed the phone down in the receiver. “Three calls to Dr. Mangle’s service and still no return phone call. How are we supposed to care for the patients if they don’t return important phone calls?”
    “He does it all the time,” an older nurse said. “Get used to it.”
    “How is that okay?”
    “It’s not, but he always has an excuse. Never a good one but– ”
    The chatter terminated. Dr. Mangle sauntered into the nurse’s station. His receding hairline revealed a perfectly combed brown coif. His pale grey suit made him look like a retired Florida doctor. Heather’s eyes narrowed and she bit the inside of her lip waiting for the performance to unfold.
    “Dr. Mangle, I left three messages with your service.”
    “You did?” His tone soft and comforting. “I’m so sorry, I never received those messages. What is your name?” He leaned over to read her badge. “Ashley? I’m so sorry Ashley.” He reached out for her hand, lifted it to his mouth, and kissed it. “I’ve been having problems with my service lately. I’ll have to look into it. This is inexcusable. Now,