Chương 6
“Ethan knows.”
There was silence.
Then, “How?”
“He found the clinic bracelet.”
“Oh my God.”
“And he has a test.”
A longer silence.
“Maya.”
“I know.”
“No, I don’t think you do.”
“Please don’t start.”
“I’m not starting. This started nine months ago.”
“Actually it started before that.”
“That is not helping your case.”
Maya closed her eyes.
Jenna exhaled.
“Is he there?”
“No.”
“Did he threaten you?”
“No.”
“Did he get angry?”
“Yes.”
“Did he touch you?”
“No.”
“Did he scare you?”
Maya considered the question.
“At first.”
“Do you want me to come?”
“Yes.”
“I’m leaving now.”
“It’s three in the morning.”
“You just said yes.”
Maya almost smiled.
“Okay.”
Jenna lived forty-five minutes away.
She arrived in thirty-eight.
She walked into room 416 wearing black leggings, a sweatshirt that said PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, and one sock slightly lower than the other. Her blond hair was tied in a loose knot. She carried two coffees even though Maya could not drink the one Jenna brought because it tasted like burnt sugar.
Jenna took Caleb immediately.
“Oh.”
All her anger disappeared for ten seconds.
“He’s tiny.”
“That’s generally how babies work.”
“He has your mouth.”
“Everyone says newborns look like potatoes.”
“This one has your mouth.”
Maya watched her sister rock him.
Then Jenna looked up.
“Tell me everything.”
Maya did.
When she finished, Jenna sat in the chair where Ethan had held Caleb.
“So he signed?”
“The worksheet.”
“And?”
“And nothing. Laura said there are more forms.”
“Good.”
“You sound disappointed he can’t just sign a receipt and own a child.”
“I’m disappointed you spent nine months hoping biology could be defeated by administrative inconvenience.”
Maya’s face hardened.
“Can we not?”
“No.”
“Jenna.”
“You called me.”
“For help.”
“This is help.”
Maya turned away.
Her sister softened.
“Okay.”
Several seconds passed.
Caleb made a small clicking sound with his tongue.
Jenna adjusted the blanket.
“Do you still love him?”
Maya looked at the window.
“No.”
“That was fast.”
“I don’t.”
“Okay.”
“Do you?”
“What?”
“Believe me.”
Jenna made a face.
“I believe you want the answer to be no.”
Maya hated her for that.
She also knew it was fair.
At ten twenty-seven the next morning, Ethan returned.
He had changed clothes.
Dark jeans, white shirt, black jacket.
No suit.
Maya noticed and resented noticing.
Jenna was holding Caleb near the window.
She looked at Ethan with open hostility.
“You must be the husband.”
Ethan stopped.
“Maya?”
“My sister.”
“I guessed.”
Jenna walked toward him.
She was five foot six.
Ethan did not move.
“You frightened her yesterday.”
Maya groaned.
“Jenna.”
“No.”
Ethan looked at Maya.
“She told you?”
“She tells me things eventually. It’s a family tradition.”
Maya shut her eyes.
Ethan nodded.
“I handled yesterday badly.”
“Yes.”
“I’m not here to repeat it.”
“Good.”
Jenna handed Caleb to Maya rather than Ethan.
The message was clear.
Ethan accepted it.
A knock came at the door.
Laura entered carrying a folder.
She recognized the tension immediately.
“Family meeting?”
“No,” three people said.
Laura raised her eyebrows.
“Wonderful.”
She explained the remaining paperwork. Ethan’s test result would not by itself replace the hospital’s required process. Maya and Ethan could complete the appropriate acknowledgment documentation if all conditions were satisfied, or they could pursue formal establishment of parentage through the court process already underway.
Maya looked at Ethan.
“You already filed.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t tell me.”
“My lawyer contacted yours.”
“I don’t have a lawyer.”
“He contacted the number listed for you.”
Maya frowned.
“My old work number?”
Ethan’s face changed.
Laura looked between them.
Jenna said, “Nice.”
Ethan pulled out his phone.
“I was told notice had been attempted.”
“You were told wrong.”
“I’ll fix it.”
“There is nothing sexier than a man saying he’ll fix the legal process he started.”
“Jenna.”
“What?”
Ethan slipped the phone back into his pocket.
“I’ll have counsel pause whatever can be paused until Maya has advice.”
Maya stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want you agreeing to things because you’re exhausted.”
Jenna looked suspiciously disappointed by the answer.
Laura handed Maya a pamphlet.
“You can review this later. Nothing requires a decision this minute.”
Maya looked at the papers.
Then at Ethan.
“If I acknowledge you here, does that affect custody?”
Laura chose her words carefully.
“It can have legal consequences, which is why the form explains rights and responsibilities and why you should not sign anything you don’t understand. I’m not your attorney.”
Maya nodded.
Ethan said, “We can wait.”
Jenna crossed her arms.
“Yesterday you slammed DNA results onto a clipboard.”
“Yesterday I was an idiot.”
“That recovery was quick.”
“I’ve had a bad twenty-four hours.”
Jenna laughed.
Maya glared at her.
“What?”
“You both have the same terrible taste in sentences.”
Ethan looked at Maya.
To her horror, she laughed.
It lasted maybe two seconds.
Then all three of them became aware of what the laugh meant and stopped.
Laura backed toward the door.
“I’m going to let the emotional professionals take it from here.”
“No one here qualifies,” Jenna said.
“Exactly.”
After Laura left, Ethan placed a paper bag on the counter.
“I brought food.”
Maya looked at it.
“For whom?”
“You.”
Jenna checked the bag.
“Turkey sandwich. Apple. Yogurt. Granola bar.”
Maya frowned.
“You remembered.”
Ethan looked uncomfortable.
“You hate mayonnaise.”
Jenna slowly turned toward Maya.
“How much did he know about your sandwiches?”
“Please stop.”
“Just establishing the depth of the national emergency.”
Ethan sat down.
Maya ate half the sandwich because she was starving.
The three of them discussed practical things.
Not love.
Not marriage.
Not betrayal.
Where Maya lived.
Whether she intended to return to work.
Whether Caleb would be added to her insurance.
Whether Ethan could visit.
Whether he could receive medical updates.
Whether Maya intended to breastfeed.
That last question earned him a look so severe he immediately corrected himself.
“I mean only because feeding affects how long I can take him anywhere later.”
“Later,” Maya repeated.
May you like
“Yes.”
“You’re already planning to take him places.”
