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place the instant you said goodbye to me, but unfortunately kids’ emotions can’t turn on a dime. They’re hurt and angry and confused. You’re going to have to work to change that. I can’t just wave a magic wand and make it okay. I agreed to let you have as much time with them as you want. What more do you expect?”
    “An advocate,” he suggested.
    “It’s one thing for me not to say anything negative about you to the children,” she told him. “But I’m not going to be a cheerleader for dear old dad.”
    “Did you know that Tyler has flatly refused to set foot in my new place as long as Noreen is there? What am I supposed to do, ask her to leave? It’s her apartment.”
    “Ty didn’t say anything to me about that,” she said, just a little pleased that her son had taken such a stand. She knew, though, that he and his father needed to mend fences. Bill had always been an important part of their oldest son’s life. Despite his busy schedule, Bill had never missed a ball game, a school conference or any other activity that meant something to Tyler. Sixteen was the worst possible age to have that kind of supportive relationship disrupted.
    “I’ll talk to him,” she offered, backing off her refusal to become Bill’s advocate. She would do it for Ty’s sake. “But,” she reminded Bill, “he’s sixteen and has a mind of his own. I can’t force him to do anything. You may have to give it some time, work a little harder to win him back.”
    “I’d appreciate anything you can do.” He stood up. “Well, that’s all I really wanted.”
    “Okay, fine.”
    “And to say one more time how sorry I am.”
    She felt the sting of tears in her eyes and blinked hard to keep them from falling. Just in case one escaped, she turned away. “Me, too,” she said.
    She kept waiting for him to leave, but she wasn’t prepared for the quick brush of his lips on her cheek before he strode out of the family room and out of the house.
    Now the tears fell unchecked. “Well, damn you all to hell, Bill Townsend,” she muttered, hating that the quick, careless kiss had meant anything at all.
    “Mom?”
    Swiping at her tears, she gazed up at Tyler, who was studying her worriedly. “I’m okay,” she assured him.
    “No, you’re not,” he said, then added heatedly, “I hate himfor what he’s done to you. He’s such a lying hypocrite. All that talk he used to give me about how you’re supposed to treat someone you care about was just a crock.”
    “Ty, he’s your dad. You don’t hate him,” she chided. “And what he told you is the way it’s supposed to be. People who care about each other should be kind and supportive and faithful. Unfortunately life doesn’t always follow the rules.”
    “You can’t make me love him,” he said, his tone unyielding. “I heard what he asked you. He wants you to convince me he’s not a jerk.”
    “He loves you. He came over here because he misses spending time with you.”
    “I’m not the one who left,” Tyler said bitterly. “He is. Why should I go out of my way to see him, especially when she’s around all the time?”
    Maddie moved to the sofa and held out her hand. “Come here.”
    He hesitated, then came closer and awkwardly took her outstretched hand.
    “Sit here beside me,” she said. When he was seated, she turned and met his gaze. “Ty, you’re old enough to understand that things don’t always work out with grown-ups just because we want them to. It’s not anybody’s fault.”
    “Are you telling me that Dad having an affair and getting Noreen pregnant is as much your fault as it is his?”
    Her lips curved in a small smile at that. “Well, no, I can’t say that, but obviously things weren’t good between your dad and me or he wouldn’t have turned to her.”
    “Did you know they weren’t good?”
    “No,” she told him candidly. In hindsight, the signs were there, tiny fissures so small she could be forgiven for missingthem, but at the