Chapter 13 - TWO YEARS OF SILENCE
We returned home after sunrise.
Lily was asleep in her bed.
I sat beside her for almost an hour.
She looked peaceful.
Children can sleep through the destruction of entire family histories.
Adults are not as lucky.
James waited downstairs.
When I finally entered the kitchen, three bank statements were on the table.
He had placed them there himself.
Seventy-five thousand dollars.
Paid in three installments.
“What did you buy?”
I asked.
“Silence.”
At least he did not lie.
“Whose?”
“The laboratory director.”
“Why?”
“Because two years ago my mother tested Lily without permission.”
My stomach turned.
“How did she get Lily’s DNA?”
“A hairbrush.”
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Margaret had given Lily an expensive silver hairbrush for her fourth birthday.
I remembered thinking it was absurd for a child.
Now I knew why.
“The lab contacted me because I was listed as Lily’s father.”
“And told you?”
“That I wasn’t a genetic match.”
“You paid them to hide it.”
“I paid them not to release anything to my mother.”
“Why not tell me?”
James looked exhausted.
“Because I thought she was trying to destroy our marriage.”
“She was.”
“Yes.”
“And you helped her by lying.”
“I know.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You keep saying that.”
“But I don’t think you do.”
James stared at the table.
“I thought biology didn’t matter.”
“It doesn’t.”
He looked up.
“Then why are you angry?”
“Because consent matters.”
My voice cracked.
“Truth matters.”
“I spent six years believing Lily was created from our embryos.”
“I spent two years believing my husband would never hide something this enormous from me.”
“You made me live inside a lie because you decided the truth would hurt.”
James began crying.
I had seen him cry only twice before.
When his father died.
And when Lily was born.
“I was afraid.”
“So was I.”
“I thought I’d lose you.”
“You may have.”
He closed his eyes.
That landed.
I removed my wedding ring.
I placed it on the table.
“I’m taking Lily somewhere else for a while.”
“Emily.”
“You can see her.”
I swallowed.
“You are her father.”
His face broke.
“Even after everything?”
“Yes.”
“Because fatherhood isn’t DNA.”
I looked toward the stairs.
“It is showing up.”
“Protecting.”
“Telling the truth when it costs you.”
James lowered his head.
I turned to leave.
Then his phone rang.
Martin.
James answered.
His expression changed almost immediately.
“What happened?”
He listened.
Then looked at me.
“The court granted Margaret an emergency hearing.”
I stared at him.
“She’s under arrest.”
“Her attorneys filed before the police processed her.”
“When?”
“This morning.”
“On what grounds?”
James put the phone on speaker.
Martin answered.
“Margaret’s counsel claims Emily kidnapped Lily six years ago by knowingly retaining a child who was not genetically hers.”
I laughed from disbelief.
Martin continued.
“And they have submitted a signed medical document stating Emily knew before the embryo transfer.”
My laughter stopped.
“The forged form.”
“Yes.”
“Can we prove it’s forged?”
Martin was silent.
“Martin?”
“We have a problem.”
May you like
“What?”
“The signature expert hired by Margaret says the signature is authentic.”
