Matthew filed for divorce from Anne when she couldn’t provide him with a son, yet he continued to live in their home. One day, while out in Seattle for a rare break—with her five daughters safely with her mother—Anne unexpectedly ran into Harry, an old school friend. As they caught up over coffee, she explained that Matthew had changed after the birth of their twins—now nine—who barely speak to him, and that he’d always wanted a boy. Despite their hopes, they kept having girls, and following the birth of their fifth daughter, Matthew became a different man and eventually filed for divorce.
Harry sympathized and even offered to help, suggesting that Anne could move in with him since he was permanently settled in Seattle. Though taken aback by his generous proposal—especially since they hadn’t seen each other in years—Anne soon shifted the conversation to his successful life. Meanwhile, the situation at home deteriorated further as Matthew, still living there, behaved irresponsibly: he partied, made noise at all hours, and disturbed the girls. When he even brought another woman home, Anne reached her limit. She called Harry, packed up, and left the house with all her daughters.
In court, Anne fought for and won full custody, reclaiming their large house thanks to Matthew’s deplorable behavior. Over time, she and Harry fell in love; he even bought an even bigger home for their blended family. Anne eventually rented out her old house, leaving Matthew—and the past—behind.
A year after marrying Harry, Anne had a son, Alan, who was cherished by his five older sisters. One day, while picking Alan up from preschool and then stopping at the mall for new shoes, Anne unexpectedly encountered Matthew again—this time working at a pretzel shop handing out free samples. Shocked to see him in a minimum-wage job, given his previous status as an executive who owed substantial child support, Anne learned that Matthew was a shadow of his former self.
In a moment of awkward conversation, Matthew even broached the subject of selling their old house. Anne, though still hurt, chose to do the right thing by selling it and giving him half its value, even though she was legally entitled to keep it all. Over time, when Matthew tried to reconnect with the girls, they all rejected him. Eventually, he ceased reaching out altogether—finally, he was no longer part of the family.