***
Laura walked toward us.
“You left this.”
She handed Daniel the bag.
He accepted it without speaking.
Then she looked at me.
“Claire, I’m sorry.”
I could hear the sincerity in her voice.
I nodded slightly.
“You believed him.”
She took a breath.
“When we first met, he told me he was married. But he said you were separated.”
She glanced toward Daniel.
“He told me you had moved in with your sister.”
I almost laughed.
“My sister lives three states away.”
Laura’s expression fell.
“He said your families didn’t know about the separation yet. That’s why he sometimes wore his wedding ring.”
I looked toward Daniel.
He said nothing.
Laura continued.
“I asked whether you knew we were seeing each other. He told me you did.”
I felt exhausted.
Every question Laura had asked him, he’d answered with another lie.
Just as he’d done with me.
