Chapter 3
I didn’t answer Claire.
By the time Daniel came back with the pastries, she had lowered her head. Her eyes were red.
“What happened?” He set down the plates, looking at her first.
“Nothing.” She dabbed at the corner of her eye. “I think Emma just needs some time.”
He turned to me with a frown.
“Let’s drop the questions for tonight. She needs to rest.”
I turned away and looked at my handbag.
The report inside was the first record of our baby.
He hadn’t even asked why I was so pale.
“I’m tired, too.” I picked up my bag. “Enjoy your dessert.”
Daniel’s expression relaxed, as if I’d finally decided to be reasonable.
“Go get some sleep.” He moved the plate of pastries closer to Claire. “Don’t worry about cleaning up.”
I went upstairs and shut the bedroom door.
In the mirror, the sash on my blue dress was still tied in a perfect bow.
Before leaving to buy the flowers, I’d stood right here, practicing how to tell him I was pregnant.
Now I untied the sash and changed into loose clothes.
I tapped the wrong thing twice before opening my sister’s messages.
“Julia, can I stay with you tonight?”
She called almost immediately.
“What happened?” Her voice tightened. “Are you crying?”
I touched my wet cheek.
“He got Claire pregnant.” I sat on the edge of the bed, covering my mouth until I could catch my breath. “They want me to raise the baby.”
A chair scraped on her end of the line.
“Book a ride to my house. Don’t drive yourself.” She spoke quickly but steadily. “I’ll be here.”
I nodded, then remembered she couldn’t see me.
“Okay.” I wiped my face. “I’m coming.”
I packed my passport, ID, bank cards, work hard drive, and a few changes of clothes. The prenatal vitamins in my drawer went into an inside pocket.
Then I opened the gift box.
Beneath my name on the report was today’s date.
I folded it carefully along the same creases and slipped it into my handbag.
My wedding ring caught at the knuckle.
I slowly twisted it, remembering how Daniel had held my hand on our wedding day, easing the ring onto my finger.
Once it was off, I found a card and wrote:
“Raise your own baby.”
I placed the card and ring inside the gift box and closed the lid.
Downstairs, the living room was empty.
Claire’s laughter drifted in from the patio. Daniel stood with his back to the glass door, draping her coat over her shoulders.
I left the gift box beside our untouched anniversary cake.
Neither of them turned around.
Out of habit, I closed the front door as quietly as I could.
Then I stood outside for a few seconds, realizing I was still trying not to disturb him.
I picked up my bag and walked to the waiting car.
When we reached Julia’s house, she came outside as soon as she saw me getting out.
She didn’t ask any questions. She just hugged me.
“Come inside.” She took my bag, her eyes filling. “Your bed’s ready.”
My phone rang.
Daniel.
I silenced it without answering.
Then an email notification appeared from the shared project account we’d used for our home renovation.
The contractor had forwarded an email chain, asking if tomorrow would be a good time to stop by and double-check the measurements.
I opened it.
The subject line read:
“Final Confirmation: Claire’s Move-In and Nursery Remodel.”
The original email was dated three weeks ago.
He’d only asked me tonight.