"Mommy, why didn't Uncle Felix come with us today?" Maya chirped from the back seat as Katherine helped her into her car seat.
Katherine fastened the seatbelt securely before moving to the other side to help Nathan. As expected, Maya was the morning chatterbox, her curly hair bouncing as she wriggled in her seat, while Nathan sat quietly, staring out the window like he always did.
"He probably had to go to the office early today," Katherine replied, brushing Maya's hair gently behind her ear. "Maybe he had urgent thing to take care of."
Breakfast with the kids had become their little routine with Felix. He always came, but not today.
It wasn't every single day, of course. Sometimes Felix was out of town, or occasionally under the weather and staying home. Those were the obvious absences—ones with explanations she could easily package and offer to her children without thinking twice.
But this morning was different.
And the worst part was, she knew why he hadn't come.
