Chương 7
Despite herself, Claire laughed.
It lasted half a second.
Then she covered her eyes.
They had always been able to do this. Find some absurd detail in the middle of something difficult and touch normal life for a second.
Now even that felt dangerous.
“Why did you stay with me if you thought Noah might not be yours?”
Ethan did not answer immediately.
“Because the report didn’t match what I believed about you.”
“That didn’t stop you from ordering it.”
“No.”
“And if the second test had said he wasn’t yours?”
Another pause.
“I don’t know.”
Claire’s voice went quiet.
“That’s the first thing you’ve said I believe completely.”
She ended the call.
The next afternoon, Ethan arrived at the collection site six minutes early.
Claire was already there.
He wore the charcoal suit from the airport because his overnight bag apparently contained only one other suit and, according to the text he had sent when she asked, it needed pressing.
His burgundy tie was gone.
He looked tired.
Not movie tired.
Not romantically ruined.
His face was puffy around the eyes, and there was a small shaving cut near his jaw.
Claire felt an unwanted pinch of concern.
Then Noah spit up on her sweater.
She looked down.
“Perfect timing.”
Ethan reached automatically for the burp cloth clipped to the diaper bag.
His hand stopped halfway.
Claire noticed.
After a moment she said, “You can hand it to me.”
He did.
“Thanks.”
It was the first ordinary exchange they had had since the airport.
A technician checked their identification, documented the collection, and swabbed the inside of all three mouths.
Noah objected with impressive force.
Ethan’s eyes filled before the technician finished.
Claire pretended not to notice.
Afterward, they stood outside on the sidewalk.
People moved around them carrying coffee, shopping bags, umbrellas.
A delivery cyclist swore at a taxi.
The city remained offensively functional.
“The results should take a few days,” Claire said.
“I know.”
She looked at him.
He looked away.
“You researched it.”
“Yes.”
“Of course.”
They stood there.
Ethan put his hands in his pockets.
“Meridian called me this morning.”
Claire’s attention sharpened.
“Why?”
“I notified their general counsel about Vanessa’s statement at the airport and told them I believed the February sample had been tampered with.”
Claire stared at him.
“You did what?”
“I thought they needed to preserve records.”
“You acted without telling me again.”
His face changed.
“You’re right.”
“Stop saying that.”
“I don’t know what else to say.”
“You could have asked.”
“Yes.”
Claire laughed in disbelief.
“You can’t help yourself.”
“I was afraid records could be deleted.”
“And that may be reasonable. I don’t know. That’s the problem. Every time you make a decision alone now, I have no idea whether it’s reasonable or whether you’re doing February again.”
Ethan looked down.
A bus passed behind them, brakes squealing.
“I gave them notice only,” he said. “I did not authorize them to access or release your medical information. I told them you would contact them separately.”
Claire studied his face.
“Did Vanessa still work there yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Does she now?”
“I don’t know.”
Claire shifted Noah in the carrier.
The baby slept through all of it.
“I’m going to speak to a lawyer.”
Ethan nodded.
“Good.”
“That wasn’t a threat.”
“I know.”
“Stop agreeing with everything.”
His mouth tightened.
“What would you like me to disagree with?”
“I don’t know. Something.”
“I think the wipe warmer is useful.”
Claire stared at him.
Then, against every intention, laughed.
Ethan did not.
That helped.
He looked down at the sidewalk.
“I’m sorry.”
Claire’s laughter disappeared.
“I know.”
“No. I don’t think you do.”
“Don’t make a speech.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“You were absolutely going to.”
He exhaled.
“Fine.”
They stood quietly.
Finally Claire said, “You can come see Noah tonight.”
Ethan looked up.
“Not stay.”
“Okay.”
“Six to eight.”
“Okay.”
“And we’re not discussing the marriage while you’re there.”
His face tightened again.
“Okay.”
“You can disagree with that if you want.”
“I do.”
Claire waited.
“But I’ll do it.”
That was better.
At six, Ethan arrived with no flowers, no food, no gifts, and no attempt to perform remorse.
Claire appreciated the restraint.
He washed his hands and sat on the sofa.
She handed him Noah.
For several seconds Ethan simply held his son.
The sight hurt Claire so badly she went into the kitchen.
She pretended to rinse a clean bottle.
Behind her, Ethan whispered something she could not hear.
Noah made a soft grunt.
Claire stood with both hands on the sink.
Her anger had been simpler when Ethan was not in the apartment.
Presence complicated things.
There he was, supporting Noah’s head correctly.
There he was, the man who had attended every appointment he could, who had learned how to install the car seat before Claire finished reading the manual, who had slept on a chair in the hospital for two nights and once apologized to Noah for swearing while changing a diaper.
There he was, also the man who had secretly submitted DNA so a laboratory could determine whether the baby he was preparing to love belonged to him.
Both men were real.
Claire hated that reality refused to choose for her.
The next morning, Meridian Genomics called.
Not Vanessa.
A compliance officer introduced herself and said Vanessa Cole had been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
Claire wrote the woman’s name down.
The officer said the company was conducting an access audit and preserving electronic and physical records related to Claire’s specimen.
Claire asked whether the February test had been legally authorized.
The officer paused.
“We’re reviewing that.”
“That means no.”
“It means I’m not going to give you an answer before we have the records.”
Claire appreciated the answer despite herself.
She had spent two days around people who had done too much with certainty.
May you like
The officer asked Claire to send a copy of the report Vanessa brought to the airport.
Claire said it was in Ethan’s possession.
