Belle Burden

He seemed elated, which was so incongruous to the wreckage that he had left with me.

And he came in, and we sat in our living room.

I had my arms around both girls, and he told them that we were divorcing, that he hadn't been happy.

And it's just that terrible moment.

It's terrible for any family when this news is delivered to kids.

He did.

He looked at me and he said, I'm starving.

Yeah, can you make me a sandwich?

And part of my brain thought, part of my brain thought, you used to live here, go make your own sandwich.

I'm not gonna make you a sandwich.

And then my younger daughter had run down the stairs.

She was very upset.

And my older daughter is sitting there with her arms crossed, looking at her father.

And I'm having a dialogue with myself that I think a lot of mothers have, which is I should model that we are going to be kind to each other, that we're going to work together, that we're not going to be nasty ever, that there will be love and caring here even if we're divorcing.

And that side won out.

And I went into the kitchen and I made the sandwich.

And as I'm making it, I think,

I am going to make the best sandwich ever.

I will not make a terrible sandwich.

I want him to leave thinking, how could I leave this woman who makes such a great sandwich?