I don't know what I think about this one, honestly. You've done your usual wonderful job of characterization, mood, and dialogue, but I love Joanna McCoy too much to imagine her gone! Maybe I'll just pretend there was another child & that's who was lost. It's still dreadfully sad, but I can still have Joanna!

You do have a point about Bones' loyalty, and I'm glad you didn't make the ex a harpy. Bones is, however, a rather cranky soul and I could see a backstory that involved too much bourbon one Southern summer night, a sexy lady, a surprise pregnancy & sudden wedding, and said sexy lady getting too fed up with having both a cranky child & a cranky husband! :-P But even then, I have a hard time seeing Bones willingly being so far away from his child, so maybe your take is the more in-character after all!

Thanks for the lovely (if sad) story!