Chapter 2 - The Name I Didn't Know
"Mom!"
I knew that voice before the door even opened. Daniel. My oldest.
The doctor let him in and Daniel came through fast, out of breath. His hair was a mess. His shirt was on inside out, like he'd grabbed it off the floor in the dark.
He saw the folder on the desk and stopped cold.
Then he looked at the doctor. "You told her?"
"Nobody has told me anything," I said. "So one of you had better start."
"Mom, I can explain—"
"Then explain. Right now. Before I start filling in the blanks myself."
Mark appeared in the doorway behind him.
"Diane, maybe we should all sit down."
"I am sitting down."
Neither of them said anything.
I turned to Daniel. "Is Clara your daughter?"
His eyes went wide. "No."
"Then help me understand this." I held the report up between us. "Why does it say I'm related to that baby by blood?"
Daniel looked at his father.
That one look told me everything. Whatever this was, the two of them already knew.
"Don't look at him," I snapped. "Look at me."
He did. His eyes were wet.
"You're related to Clara because she's your granddaughter."
"You just told me she isn't yours."
"She's not."
"Then whose is she?"
Daniel swallowed hard. "Lauren's."
The name landed on nothing. "Who is Lauren?"
He couldn't get it out. It was Mark who answered.
"Your daughter."
I laughed. One short, ugly sound.
"My what?"
"Diane."
"I don't have a daughter."
Daniel crouched down in front of my chair. "Mom, I need you to listen to me. Really listen."
"I have three sons."
"I know."
"My daughter died."
The room went silent.
Something cold slid through my chest. I looked from Daniel to Mark and back again.
"My daughter died."
Daniel's face broke apart. "Mom. No. She didn't. She never did."
The floor seemed to tilt under me. I grabbed the arms of the chair.
"Don't."
"It's the truth."
"Don't you dare do this to me."
"I would never lie to you about this."
I turned to Mark. He was staring at the carpet. He couldn't look at me.
And that's when the worst part of it hit me.
"You knew."
"Diane, please."
"How long?"
Nothing.
"How long have you known, Mark?"
"Almost four months."
I stood up so fast the chair shot backward across the floor.
"Four months?"
Daniel reached for my hand. I yanked it away.
May you like
"You too?"
He nodded. "Longer than Dad."
