At a crowded family barbecue, my ex-mother-in-law made fun of me while everyone laughed. Suddenly, my son climbed onto a chair and said, « Grandma, there’s something Dad doesn’t want you to know. » At that precise moment, all the smiles vanished.

Ethan, his small hands gripping the back of the chair for balance, let out a small cry. His lower lip trembled, but his voice remained steady.

« Grandma, » he said, « I heard Dad talking on the phone. He thought I was asleep. »

Mark lunged at him. « Ethan, that’s enough! »

But Ethan stepped back, out of reach, his face red with excitement.

« No! You’re always saying mean things about Mom. You make fun of her every time I’m around. I’m tired of pretending not to hear you. »

An awkward silence settled over the garden. A few of Mark’s cousins ​​exchanged glances. Even Linda seemed perplexed.

« My darling, » I murmured, « you don’t have to… »

But Ethan glared at me. « Mom, I want to. »

He turned to the adults. « Dad said he cheated first. And he said you’d all hate him if they knew. » A muffled, collective cry swept across the lawn like a gust of wind.

Mark’s face paled. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Suddenly, the man who always had something to say – a cutting remark, a defensive remark, an intelligent comment – ​​was silent.