I closed my eyes.
“Tell me everything.”
Daniel asked where I was.
“St. Matthew’s Hospital.”
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
PART 9
Dr. Hayes stayed with me.
I sat in a private consultation room.
My daughter kicked hard.
I pressed both hands against my stomach.
“Your father has terrible timing,” I whispered.
Then I cried.
Not graceful tears.
Not movie tears.
I cried until my face hurt.
I was grieving the husband I knew.
And discovering another part of him at the same time.
PART 10
Daniel arrived carrying a black briefcase.
He was in his fifties.
Calm.
Careful.
He placed a folder on the table.
“Mark came to me five weeks ago.”
“After Rebecca contacted him?”
“Yes.”
“What did she want?”
“Initially? Recognition of Noah.”
“That sounds reasonable.”
“It was.”
Daniel paused.
“Then the requests changed.”
Rebecca wanted money.
Then property.
Then she wanted Mark to sign documents acknowledging an old financial
