Chapter 5

When Ian entered the room, Marilyn stepped aside.

He set the lunch box down. "I made you some soup."

I didn't move.

He said, "I'll handle Megan."

"How?"

"I'll have her delete the post."

"And the certificate?"

He avoided the question. "We'll talk about this later."

I looked up at him. "Did you make her delete those posts because you were afraid I'd see them or because you were afraid everyone else would?"

Ian was silent for a moment.

"Both." He sat down on the edge of the bed, his voice low. "Eleanor, I never meant to hurt you."

"Then who was supposed to get hurt instead?"

He rubbed a hand over his face, looking utterly exhausted. "Megan saved my life, and her brother got hurt because of me. The Lawrence family owes her."

"So, you're using our children and me to pay off that debt?"

"I'm not."

"Then what is it?"

His lips moved, but no words came out.

Right then, the door to the ward swung open. Megan walked in, carrying a bouquet. "Eleanor, I'm here to apologize."

When she saw Ian sitting by my bed, her grip tightened on the bouquet. "Ian, didn't you say you were going to work?"

Ian stood up. "How did you know I was here?"

Megan smiled. "Mrs. Kayla Lawrence told me, and I wanted to check on Eleanor."

She set the flowers down on the cabinet. The scent of lilies was overpowering.

I was allergic to lilies, and it had gotten worse since I was pregnant.

Ian immediately moved the flowers away. "Why on earth would you bring lilies?"

Megan froze. "I didn't know Eleanor was allergic."

I stared at her. "Funny, last night you posted that I'm some overly fragile woman who can't even handle the smell of lilies. Did you forget already?"

Megan's smile froze on her face.

Ian turned to her. "What else did you post?"

Megan gripped the strap of her bag. "I deleted it."

"I asked what you posted," Ian said.

She looked aggrieved. "I was only venting. It hurts to see you always by her side."

I said, "Choosing something a pregnant woman is allergic to? That's quite the choice, Ms. Dawson."

Ian tossed the flowers into the trash.

Megan's tears fell. "Are you taking it out on me because of her?"

Ian held back his anger. "Get out."

Megan didn't move. "Ian, my belly hurts, too."

Ian looked at her belly.

I saw him hesitate.

That told me everything.

I pressed the nurse call button.

When the nurse walked in, I pointed at Megan. "Please take her out. She brought something I'm allergic to, and it's messing up my treatment."

Megan blushed. "You have no right to do that."

The nurse looked over at Ian.

Ian said nothing.

Shirley walked in. "This isn't the place for arguments. Ms. Dawson, if you need treatment, go to the lobby and wait for your turn. If you're here to visit someone, you need to respect the patient's wishes."

Megan gritted her teeth. "You're all taking her side."

Shirley said, "I'm on the patient's side."

Megan walked to the door and turned back to look at me. "Eleanor, you can't hide in here forever. May is coming."

I sneered. "Why are you so desperate? Scared you won't still be pregnant by May?"

Her face fell in an instant.

Ian turned to look at me as well.

Megan grabbed the doorframe and snapped, "What are you talking about?"

After she left, Ian asked, "Why did you say that?"

I leaned back against the pillow. "Just a wild guess."

He stared at me, as though realizing for the first time that I wasn't as easy to fool as he'd always believed.

The ward fell silent, and my phone buzzed.

Jason messaged me. [I'm downstairs at the hospital. Don't worry. See you tonight.]

*****

At ten o'clock that night, Ian got a call and left.

This time, it wasn't Megan; it was Kayla.

Before he left, he told Marilyn, "Keep an eye on Eleanor. Don't let her go anywhere."

Marilyn nodded.

As soon as the door closed, Marilyn handed me my old phone. "Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Howard is waiting for you by the stairs."

I threw on my coat and slipped out through the emergency exit.

Jason was standing in the stairwell, wearing a black coat and holding a folder.

We hadn't seen each other in three years.

He looked a bit thinner, and he was still as straightforward as ever. "Eleanor, it took you long enough."

I said, "Hold off on the lecture."

He said, "I'm not here to lecture you. I'm saving that for Ian."

He handed me the folder. "I had someone look into your marriage. There's no record of your marriage anywhere in the county's official database. Legally, you and Ian were never married."

I'd guessed it already, but hearing him say it still hurt.

Jason glanced at my belly and lowered his voice. "And Megan's certificate? It looks legit. She and Ian really did get married two years ago."

Two years ago? That was the year I had a miscarriage.

Ian held me in the hospital hallway and cried. He blamed himself for not taking better care of me and promised I'd never have to go through that again.

A month later, however, he and Megan registered their marriage.

I grabbed the railing to steady myself.

Jason reached for me, but I shook my head. "Keep going."

He said, "I've saved everything Megan posted online. If she tries to fight for custody, we've got evidence."

I asked, "Can I take the babies with me after they're born?"

"You can fight for it, but the Lawrence family won't make it easy. You don't have a job or a place to live right now, and they'll definitely use that against you," Jason said.

I looked at him. "What if I have?"

Jason paused, surprised. "Are you going to ask them for help?"

I didn't answer.

He got anxious. "Eleanor, you promised you wouldn't go back to those people unless it was a last resort. Those folks in Dorsen are way more troublesome than the Lawrence family."

I said, "There is no greater reason than my children."

Jason closed his eyes. "Alright. I'll help you."

Right then, footsteps echoed from the emergency exit downstairs. Marilyn's voice rang out. "Mr. Lawrence, please. Mrs. Lawrence is asleep."

Ian's voice was close. "I'll go check on her."

Jason quickly pulled me deeper into the corner.

Ian pushed open the emergency door.

The moment he saw Jason, he froze in his tracks. "What are you doing here?"