"Didn't you say you would eat with me?"

"I'll play with the kids for a while." Avery's heart melted when she looked at her daughter's tearful eyes.

Elliot nodded and went to the dining room.

After he walked away, Hayden said in a sullen voice, "Why did you lie, Mommy? Elliot was the one who hurt you."

"He didn't do it on purpose," Avery explained. "He'll be sad if we tell it to his face."

"Let him learn his lesson!" Hayden raised his voice on purpose so Elliot could hear it clearly from the dining room.

Layla pursed her lips, clenched her fists, and said in a crying voice, "Daddy is such a careless klutz! You should punch a boo-boo on his head too."

Avery sighed. "Your uncle Mike already punched him, and your father now has a boo-boo on his head too."

Layla stopped crying immediately. "That's more like it."

"You should eat if you're hungry, Mommy!" Hayden said.

"Sure... Although, how did you know it was your father who did it?" Avery did not remember telling them about her in