"Are you done? Even if she's dead, I'm still her dad. Who else has the right to discipline her if not me?
"Laura Thompson, don't try to threaten me with divorce. It won't work," he sulked.
Hearing him mention Anna's death made it hard for me to breathe.
I clutched my chest, taking deep breaths, and then started dry heaving.
Eugene frowned. "What kind of trick are you pulling?"
I couldn't hold back any longer. My eyes red, I yelled at him, "Anna is only three years old. How could you let her walk a large hunting dog alone? Do you know that she..."
I couldn't finish my words.
Eugene cut me off. "What's the big deal? Kids need to be toughened up. You spoil Anna too much.
"Get Anna out here and call Jessica to apologize. That dog you mentioned is like family to her."
My face was flushed with anger, but my veins bulged. "Anna did nothing wrong!"
Eugene threw the half-eaten mango cake he brought into the trash.
"Jessica told me not to blame her and gave her a cake. You and Anna are just taking advantage of Jessica's kindness," he said.
Anna was three years old, but he didn't even know she was allergic to mangoes.