Dennis sat there with his lips pushed out, eyes shining with tears as he nodded hard.

"I really miss her. Aunt Amelia, can you tell me where my mom is? Did she get mad at me because I was bad? Is that why she won't come back? If she's angry at me, can you tell her I've changed? I do my homework every day. I don't pick on anyone at school. I'm good now, I promise. I won't make her upset again. Please, just ask her to come back."

His voice grew softer, trembling as he spoke. “A lot of kids at school say I don't have a mom. They always make fun of me. But I remembered what she told me, so I never hit them back. It's just been really hard..."

Dennis scrubbed at his eyes with his fists, rubbing them so much they turned bright red. Fat tears rolled down his cheeks as he sniffled, nothing like the little

troublemaker he used to be.

Watching him, Amelia felt her heart twist painfully.

Everyone in their circle knew about Isabella Austin, but since Dennis was just a kid, no one had ever told him the full story. All he knew was that his mom had left him and his dad.

At first, he thought maybe his parents had split up. Maybe his mom was mad at his dad, so she didn't come home. He used to beg Andrew to apologize and bring her back, but Andrew always told him no.

When he couldn't get answers from his dad, Dennis started to wonder if he was the one who'd done something wrong. Maybe his mom didn't want to see him because of something he did. Ever since then, Dennis had been extra quiet and well-behaved. The wild little boy from before seemed to disappear. Sometimes he'd cry quietly until his eyes were all puffy, and when he had nothing to do, he'd just sit and stare at the door, hoping his mom would walk in.

But she never came back. When Dennis got too sad, he'd go to Andrew and beg him to marry Isabella again and bring her home. Andrew would try to comfort him, but he never made any promises.

Dennis might be mischievous, but he was smart. He could tell what his dad's silence meant. He argued with Andrew about it a few times, but that never brought Isabella back.

Maybe it was something he'd seen

on TV or in cartoons-parents splitting up but still visiting their kids, still trying to be there for them Dennis started to believe his mom wasn't mad at his dad. She must be mad at him.

Lately, Dennis had been on his absolute best behavior. The boy who once fought bedtime now went to sleep by himself. He'd get up early, eat breakfast without fuss practige his music, and work on his handwriting. He was so good it felt like he'd turned into a whole new person. Everyone in the house could see the hope he was holding onto, and it broke their hearts. Even the maids felt sorry for him.

Then, just a few days ago, Kevin got a call that Dennis had gotten into a fight at preschool and had actually knocked out another kid's tooth.

Kevin and Amelia rushed over to help him. At the hospital, with the other parents

and the teachers there, they found out Dennis hadn't just fought with one kid. It was three.