"This is not a discussion," Deborah added, and the hallway went very quiet.
Cole turned. "You can't just fire her like that —"
"We can," Deborah said. "And we are."
She turned to Cole. "Effective today, you're on unpaid suspension pending termination. Turn in your badge."
A security guard stepped closer, already holding a clipboard.
That shut him up.
"Turn in your badge."
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For a second, no one moved. Alyssa's face drained of color. Cole looked like someone had pulled the floor out from under him.
I stepped toward Cole. "I'm going home. To our children."
"We need to talk."
"We will," I said. "Through lawyers. You made a choice, and I'm done cleaning up after it. Don't come back."
He stood there, speechless. Alyssa just stared at him like she'd realized too late that she'd hitched her future to a man who couldn't hold it together.
I walked away.
"I'm going home."
At home, the kids were waiting for me. I crouched down and hugged them all in turn. Rose held onto me a little longer.
"Is Daddy coming home?"
"No, baby," I said gently. "Not today."
She frowned. "Tomorrow?"
I took a breath. "Maybe not for a while," I said. "But I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."
Now I was finally choosing myself, and my kids.
He had made his choice. So had I.
"I'm not going anywhere."
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