Ex proposed, but my son is 3 years old

The sliding glass doors of the terminal parted. I stepped into the arrivals hall.

Three men stood by the metal railing, their eyes scanning the crowd. Jason, my older brother. Tom, my childhood best friend. Kevin, the man I used to love.

Five years ago, I would have dropped my bags and sprinted into their arms.

Today, I just stopped.

Jason spotted me first. He nudged Kevin, then stepped forward, his arms opening for a wide embrace.

I bypassed his arms and gripped the handle of my suitcase tighter.

"Irene," Jason said, dropping his hands. "You look... different."

"Long flight," I replied.

Tom leaned against the barrier, crossing his arms. "We thought you'd be crying. You've been gone half a decade."

"I'm just tired, Tom."

Kevin stepped up, his gaze sweeping over my simple beige coat and jeans. "You finally decided to stop hiding in Europe."

"I'm here for Grandpa Winston's eightieth birthday." I adjusted my purse strap on my shoulder. "I fly back the morning after the banquet."

"You're leaving that soon?" Jason frowned. "Mom expects you at the house. Your old room is exactly how you left it."

"I'm not staying at the house."

"Then where?"

"I have a place."

Jason exchanged a look with Tom. A familiar, condescending smirk touched Tom's lips.

"Right. A place," Tom said. "You just landed. You don't have an apartment here, Irene. Just come home."

"I made arrangements."

"Stop being stubborn," Jason snapped. "It's been five years. We came all the way out here to pick you up. The least you can do is get in the car."

I checked my phone screen. My rideshare was three minutes away. "I didn't ask you to come."

Kevin sighed, pushing a hand through his dark hair. "Irene, enough. We know why you're acting like this."

I looked up. "Do you?"

"It's about Lucy," Kevin said. His tone dropped into that gentle, reprimanding register he used to reserve for my worst mistakes.

Just hearing her name sent a sharp ache through my chest. Lucy. The real daughter. The one who truly belonged in my family, while I was just the mistake brought home from the hospital.

Five years ago, at the homecoming gala, Lucy stood in the center of the ballroom crying over a shredded graduation dress.

*She did it,* Lucy had sobbed, pointing a trembling finger at me. *Irene hates me.*

I hadn't touched the dress. But when I looked to my brother, my best friend, and my boyfriend for support, I found a wall of disgust.

They chose her. Instantly. Completely.

"Lucy is terrified you're going to ruin the banquet," Tom said, pulling me back to the present. "She barely slept last night."

"Tell her to take a melatonin," I said.

Jason's jaw clamped tight. "Don't talk about your sister like that. She's tried to reach out to you for years. You blocked every email."

"Because I have nothing to say to her. Or to any of you."

Kevin stepped directly into my