Dad turned to me and handed me the music box. “I’m so sorry, Anna. I should have known better. I thought I could trust Melanie, but I was wrong.”
I took the music box, my hands shaking. “It’s okay, Dad. I’m just glad you’re home.”
Dad looked at Melanie again. “I think we need to have a serious talk. This kind of behavior is unacceptable. And I’m not sure if our marriage can survive this betrayal.”
Melanie’s eyes filled with tears. “Please, don’t say that. I made a mistake. I’ll do better. I promise.”
But Dad just shook his head. “I need some time to think. Right now, I want you to leave. Go stay with a friend or something. I can’t be around you right now.”
Melanie nodded, and without another word, she grabbed her coat and purse and left the house.
Dad and I sat down on the couch, and he put his arm around me. “I’m so sorry, Anna. You deserve so much better than this. From now on, it’s just going to be you and me again. And I’ll make sure no one ever hurts you like this again.”
I leaned into him, feeling safe for the first time in a long while. “Merry Christmas, Dad.”
He kissed the top of my head. “Merry Christmas, Anna. And this time, we’ll make sure it’s a truly happy one.”
