But I refused to expose her to a man who had rejected her mother without first learning the truth.
So I decided to meet him alone.
***
Later that morning, my phone rang.
The number was unfamiliar.
“Hello?”
“Is this Margaret?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Meredith. We met at Walmart yesterday.”
I sat up straighter.
“What do you want?”
“Please, before you make any decisions, I need to explain something.”
“Your brother already came here.”
“I know.”
“Was he lying to me?”
“Not exactly. But Nathan doesn’t know everything.”
I gripped the phone.
“Then tell me what he left out.”
“I’d rather speak in person. I’m at St. Luke’s Hospital.”
“Why should I believe anything you say?”
Meredith hesitated.
“You shouldn’t trust me yet. But there’s something involving Claire and your son that I think you deserve to know.”
My heart began pounding.
“My son?”
