Chapter 2: The Picture That Was Never Taken
Marissa didn't answer immediately.
She stood beside the studio's decorative sofa, holding the coats against her chest as though someone had handed her an unreasonable burden.
The photographer, a middle-aged man named Daniel, quietly checked the time on his watch.
"Would you like a few minutes?"" he asked.
Marissa turned toward him.
"We're fine.""
Owen didn't move.
"Then come stand with us.""
Marissa looked at Sadie.
The little girl had moved closer to her father. One hand was wrapped around his fingers.
Her cardigan was slightly crooked where Marissa had pulled her away from the camera.
"You're making this unnecessarily difficult," Marissa said.
Owen's jaw tightened.
"All I asked was that my daughter be included.""
"And I already explained that I don't want her on the Christmas cards.""
"Why?""
"Because I want something that represents our household.""
"She lives in this household.""
Marissa gave a short, humorless laugh.
"Technically, she lives with us every other week.""
Sadie looked up.
"Every week, actually," she whispered.
Nobody answered.
Owen glanced down at her.
"What was that, sweetheart?""
Sadie immediately shook her head.
"Nothing.""
Marissa placed the coats on the sofa.
"Can we please get this over with? I have dinner reservations.""
Owen looked at the photographer.
"I'm sorry. We're leaving.""
Daniel nodded politely.
"Of course, sir. I'll have the front desk explain the deposit policy.""
Marissa's head snapped around.
"You're actually canceling?""
"Yes.""
"Over this?""
Owen took Sadie's hand.
"Over the way you treated her.""
Marissa followed them toward the entrance.
"Don't turn this into some dramatic lesson about parenting. Tyler is waiting. We have plans.""
Tyler stood near the reception desk, staring at his phone.
He looked up when his mother called him.
"Tyler, come on.""
He didn't move immediately.
Owen stopped beside him.
"Your sister is coming with us.""
Tyler glanced at Sadie.
Then at Marissa.
"Okay.""
It was such a small answer.
But Marissa looked as though he'd betrayed her.
"Tyler, I need you to understand something. Your mother arranged this entire afternoon.""
"I know, Mom.""
"I paid for the clothes. I booked the photographer. I organized everything.""
"I know.""
"And now your stepfather is throwing it all away because he can't accept that not every occasion has to revolve around Sadie.""
Owen stepped between them.
"Enough.""
Marissa folded her arms.
"Fine. Let's go.""
They walked out without taking a single photograph.
Outside, the November air was cold.
Owen helped Sadie into her coat.
She watched him carefully as he buttoned it.
"Daddy?""
"Yes, sweetheart?""
"Did I do something wrong?""
His hands stopped.
"No.""
"Because I didn't mean to stand in the wrong place.""
Owen crouched so they were eye level.
"You didn't stand in the wrong place. You were supposed to stand beside me.""
Sadie looked down at her shoes.
"Marissa said I shouldn't start.""
Owen swallowed.
"Sometimes grown-ups say things they shouldn't. That doesn't mean you did anything wrong.""
"Are you mad at her?""
He hesitated.
"I'm upset about what happened.""
Sadie nodded slowly.
Then she asked the question that hurt him more than anything else that afternoon.
"Can we still take a picture together?""
Owen smiled, although his eyes had become wet.
"Absolutely.""
He took out his phone.
"Come here.""
Sadie stood beside him.
Tyler stepped closer.
"Can I be in it?""
"Of course," Owen said.
Tyler put an arm around his little sister.
Owen raised the phone.
The three of them smiled.
The picture wasn't professionally lit.
Nobody had coordinated their clothes.
There was a parking meter behind them and a delivery truck passing in the background.
But Sadie was in the middle.
And Owen kept that picture.
That evening, Marissa sat at the kitchen island scrolling through photographs from the previous year's Christmas celebration.
She had already changed her social media profile picture.
It was an old photograph of herself, Owen, and Tyler.
Sadie wasn't in it.
Owen entered the kitchen with a glass of water.
"Did you post that?""
Marissa didn't look up.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because I liked it.""
"Sadie was there that Christmas.""
"She was with her mother for most of the evening.""
"She came to dinner.""
Marissa put down her phone.
"Are we going to argue about every single thing now?""
Owen leaned against the counter.
"I want to understand why you keep treating her like an inconvenience.""
Marissa's expression hardened.
"I don't treat her like an inconvenience.""
"You gave her our coats so she couldn't be in the picture.""
"I was organizing the group.""
"You physically moved her.""
"She was standing in the wrong place.""
"She was standing beside her father.""
Marissa stared at him.
Then she picked up her phone again.
"You know what your problem is, Owen? You always make me the villain whenever I try to establish boundaries.""
"Boundaries?""
"Yes. Tyler is my son. Sadie is your daughter. I have never pretended otherwise.""
Owen looked at her for several seconds.
"That's exactly the problem.""
Before Marissa could respond, Tyler entered the kitchen.
He was holding his phone.
"Mom?""
"What?""
"Why did you delete the picture from last Christmas?""
Marissa frowned.
"I didn't delete anything.""
Tyler showed her the screen.
He had been looking for a particular photograph.
The one where he, Owen, and Sadie were decorating the Christmas tree.
But the photograph had disappeared from the shared family album.
Marissa shrugged.
"I cleaned up the album. There were too many duplicates.""
Tyler scrolled.
"Then why did you delete the other pictures with Sadie too?""
"Tyler, don't interrogate me.""
"I just wanted one.""
"Well, find another.""
Tyler lowered his phone.
Owen watched his stepson carefully.
"Come here, son.""
Tyler approached him.
Owen put a hand on his shoulder.
"Your sister matters. I need you to remember that.""
Tyler nodded.
"I know.""
Marissa laughed under her breath.
"Wonderful. Now both of you are treating me like a criminal.""
Nobody answered.
She stood up, collected her phone, and left the kitchen.
But Owen noticed something as she walked past him.
The family photo order confirmation was still open on her screen.
Three people.
Three printed portraits.
Three Christmas cards.
And at the bottom of the order, beneath the payment information, was a note.
*Do not include additional child in final layout.*
Owen read it twice.
Then he turned toward the hallway.
"Marissa.""
She stopped.
"What now?""
He held out his hand.
"Give me your phone.""
Her expression changed.
"Excuse me?""
"I want to see the order.""
Marissa stared at him.
Then she slowly turned off the screen.
"There's something you need to understand about Sadie.""
Owen didn't lower his hand.
"What?""
Marissa looked toward Tyler to make sure he was listening.
May you like
Then she said something Owen had never expected.
"She wasn't supposed to be part of our Christmas plans at all.""
