Chương 2 - Người Đàn Ông Đến Từ Singapore

“Hi, Mom.”

Mom.

My stomach turned.

Elaine said, “Where’s my birthday boy?”

Noah launched himself into the frame.

“Grandma!”

Elaine immediately started singing.

When she finished, she said, “I made the chocolate cake with the strawberries. And I’ve got the ribs Daniel likes.”

Then she pointed at Tessa through the screen.

“You look pale.”

“I’m fine.”

“Did you drink the tea?”

Tessa rolled her eyes.

“Yes.”

“Don’t drink anything cold. Your throat was bad yesterday.”

“I know.”

“And tell Daniel you are not carrying anything heavy tonight.”

“Mom.”

“I mean it.”

Tessa turned the phone toward Daniel.

“Your mother is bullying me again.”

Elaine laughed.

“I have to. Nobody else can keep you two organized.”

I had never heard her sound like that.

Warm.

Teasing.

Maternal.

With me, every conversation had been an evaluation.

Was I cooking enough?

Working too much?

Saving enough?

Trying for another baby?

Had the doctor said anything new about fertility?

After Lily died, Elaine called me a month later and said, “You can’t mourn forever. Daniel needs a family.”

Apparently he already had one.

Tessa carried the phone toward the playroom so Elaine could talk to Noah.

She paused at the doorway.

“Daniel, cool my tea down, please.”

He picked up the cup.

He blew across the surface.

A completely automatic gesture.

When Tessa disappeared down the hall, the room went silent.

Daniel put the mug down.

“Claire.”

I stared at him.

“When did you move in here?”

“Let me explain.”

“When?”

“It’s complicated.”

“How long?”

He rubbed a hand over his face.

“Claire.”

“Nobody can hear us right now. Answer me.”

His voice dropped.

“A little over three years.”

Three years.

Exactly when his “Singapore assignment” started.

I laughed once.

He flinched.

“You moved twenty minutes away and told me you moved to Singapore.”

“I was still traveling.”

“You sent me pictures.”

“Some were real.”

I almost admired the stupidity of that answer.

“Some.”

“Claire, I never meant for you to find out like this.”

“Was there a better way?”

“I was going to tell you.”

“When? Noah’s college graduation?”

“Keep your voice down.”

I stared at him.

“Don’t tell me to keep my voice down in your other wife’s house.”

“She’s not—”

He stopped.

I caught it.

“What?”

Daniel looked toward the hall.

“What were you about to say?”

He didn’t answer.

Tessa came back carrying the phone.

“Mom wants us there by six.”

Daniel immediately stepped away from me.

Tessa handed him the phone.

Elaine saw me over his shoulder.

Her smile disappeared.

For one second.

Then she recovered.

“Who’s that?”

“Noah’s teacher,” Tessa said.

Elaine’s eyes flicked to Daniel.

Then back to me.

“How nice.”

I knew that look.

She knew exactly who I was.

I closed my notebook.

“I think I have everything I need.”

Tessa looked disappointed.

“Already?”

“Yes.”

“But it’s pouring.”

Rain had started hammering the windows.

“Wait until it slows down.”

“I’ll be okay.”

“At least take some cake.”

“No, thank you.”

I called Noah over.

“Happy birthday, buddy.”

He hugged me around the waist.

I almost broke.

He smelled like crayons and strawberry shampoo.

None of this was his fault.

“Thank you, Ms. Morgan.”

I touched his hair.

“Have a good party.”

Then I walked out.

Daniel followed me carrying an umbrella.

“Claire.”

I kept walking.

He grabbed my wrist.

I stopped.

“Let go.”

“Please listen.”

“Let go of me.”

He released me.

The front door was still partly open.

Warm yellow light spilled across the porch.

From inside, Tessa called, “Daniel, make sure Claire doesn’t get soaked!”

Daniel looked back toward her voice.

Then at me.

I said, “Five years ago today.”

His face tightened.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“You know I’m sorry about Lily.”

“Were you?”

“Of course.”

“Where were you?”

He swallowed.

“Claire.”

“Were you trying to get to the hospital where I was losing our daughter?”

He said nothing.

“Or were you here?”

Still nothing.

I stepped closer.

“Were you grieving Lily or waiting for Noah to be born?”

His face went white.

That was my answer.

I nodded.

“Okay.”

“Claire, it wasn’t like that.”

“Then tell me what it was like.”

“Tessa was pregnant. Things had already gotten complicated.”

“Complicated.”

“I was trying to handle it.”

“You handled it beautifully. I didn’t know for five years.”

Rain blew across the porch.

Daniel opened the umbrella.

I pushed it away.

“I loved you for fourteen years.”

“I know.”

“No, I don’t think you do.”

“Claire—”

“I’m done.”

He stared at me.

“What does that mean?”

“It means whatever we are is over.”

“We’re married.”

I laughed.

I couldn’t help it.

“Then go inside and tell her.”

His mouth closed.

I stepped into the rain.

By the time I reached my car, my clothes were soaked.

I cried so hard on the drive home that I had to pull over twice.

Not because Daniel had another woman.

That would have been simpler.