There was a long pause on the other end of the line. “I miss you,” she finally said, her voice small.

“I miss you too, Tiff. But I can’t come back to that situation. Not unless it changes.”

“I’ll talk to him,” she promised. “I want us to be a family again.”

As we ended the call, I stood in the kitchen, looking out at the world beyond my window. Things were different now, but for the first time in a long time, I felt hopeful. This new chapter was just beginning.