Not Rebecca.
PART 28
The questionable agreement Rebecca produced became a matter for
attorneys.
I did not personally investigate her.
I did not threaten her.
I was pregnant, grieving, and exhausted.
Professionals handled the documents.
Some of Rebecca’s claims were withdrawn.
Others were resolved through ordinary legal processes.
The important thing was Noah’s future did not depend on his mother
winning a fight with me.
PART 29
Then my daughter arrived.
Two weeks early.
I named her Lily Grace Carter.
Labor lasted eleven hours.
At 3:17 in the morning, a nurse placed her on my chest.
She had Mark’s mouth.
I laughed and cried at the same time.
“He was supposed to see you.”
That sentence hurt more than anything.
PART 30
Dr. Hayes visited the next afternoon.
He stood beside Lily’s bassinet.
“Mark talked about her constantly.”
“I know.”
“He made me promise something else.”
I looked at him.
