Can I get an ice cream cone? Please?” “Of course, sweetie.” Chaz’s heart filled with love for his daughter. He’d readily admit that she had him wrapped around her finger. She was daddy’s little girl, in looks and temperament. Chaz adored her. He pulled out a five-dollar bill and gave it to Cherish. “You want one, too, son?” He gave his namesake a five-dollar bill, then turned and saw Jennifer’s broad smile. “What about you?” “What I want to lick is not in a cone.” “Ha! C’mon, now. Behave.” “I’ll try,” Jennifer answered. But her mischievous smile suggested otherwise. It was the second two-parent family outing since the children’s therapist had suggested it two months ago. There’d been little change in Cherish’s demeanor following Chaz and Jennifer’s separation and ultimate divorce, but Chaz, Jr. had become more quarrelsome and his grades took a dive. Since beginning the therapy, however, both parents had seen improvement. For Jennifer, the therapist suggesting outings involving both parents was an unexpected plus.
