Chapter 16 - THE CHILD
Claire did not slap him.
She wanted to.
Instead she gripped the doorframe until her fingers hurt.
“How far?”
“Ten weeks.”
The affair had begun earlier than either admitted.
Another lie.
“Does she know you told me?”
“No.”
“That was not your news to give.”
Daniel flinched.
Claire hated him a little more for making her defend Sabrina’s privacy.
“Why are you here?”
“Because I don’t know what to do.”
Claire laughed.
A short, ugly sound.
“You came to your wife for advice about your mistress’s pregnancy?”
“When you say it like that—”
“How else is there to say it?”
Daniel looked down.
“I’m scared.”
“That is allowed.”
He looked up.
“It is?”
“Yes. It just doesn’t make you my responsibility.”
Claire closed the door.
Then she called Sabrina.
Not to confront her.
To tell her Daniel had disclosed the pregnancy.
Sabrina was silent for a long time.
“I was going to tell you.”
“When?”
“I don’t know.”
“Okay.”
“You’re not going to ask if it’s his?”
“No.”
“It is.”
“Okay.”
Sabrina began crying.
Claire sat on the floor beside the door.
Neither woman knew what to say.
Finally Sabrina whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“For which part?”
“All of it.”
“That’s too big to be useful.”
Sabrina laughed through tears.
“Fair.”
The pregnancy did not redeem anyone.
It did not reunite anyone.
It simply made the future more complicated.
The next morning, Sabrina formally withdrew from consideration for a board seat while her claim was negotiated.
“I don’t want anyone saying I used the baby.”
Claire said, “Someone will say it anyway.”
“I know.”
Then Sabrina added, “I still want Arthur’s name restored.”
“That I can do.”
“For free?”
“Don’t ruin the moment.”
May you like
For the first time since Claire came home early, Sabrina smiled without winning anything.
