My teenage daughter's stepfather regularly took her out for ice cream late at night – When I watched the dashcam footage, I had to sit down

For a long time, I felt like it was just Vivian and me against the world.

Vivian was five years old when Mike proposed to me.

We had been dating for two and a half years at the time, and I thought he was perfect.

Vivian liked him too. I was afraid she would resent any man I brought into our lives, but Mike made it easy to like him.

To love him.

He sat in the front row at every school event, built a playhouse in the garden for Vivian, and developed an instinct for knowing whether she wanted eggs for breakfast or pancakes.

I thought it was perfect.

After Mike proposed, I sat Vivian down at the kitchen table to tell her the news.

"You don't have to call him Dad if you don't want to. He's not replacing anyone."

She nodded seriously. "Okay."

The first few years went well.

She and Mike got along well, so well that she started going to him first when the children at school were mean to her or when she had a nightmare.

I thought to myself that it was a good sign.

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