ch dropp

Poor girl looked exhausted. Said

ow seen our text exchange?

ly, "Zoe texted last night.

d halfway to his l

bite of my sandwich, forcing myself to ch

mug down with deliberate precision

ted, keeping my voice light. "You know Zoe always

ng moment. "What are you t

r between us. Something in h

looked casual. "Girl stuff. Pregnancy symptoms she

ned watchful. "That's nice. I'm glad you

k on the microwave at 8:37 AM. H

" James said, standing. He leaned down to kiss my fo

wo

liberate. "And Lily? Remember what Dr. Morris said about stress. Be care

concerned words. I swallowed hard

satisfied with my an

kitchen table, my breakfast growing cold. My ph

up at 11 instead? Just got out of a meeti

hen typed quickly: *Perfect. Actually, can we m

Is the park by your place? We can grab

11. Don't t

ghtly. I wasn't sure why I felt the need for such secrecy. James knew about the lunch, but something

nocked on Jame

e carrying that crisp business

exted. She can meet earlier

"I thought she was p

id smoothly. "I'm going to walk

far in your condition," he said, already

ound brittle even to my ears. "The doctor sa

olling the situation and maintaining his

me walk with yo

e office and kissed his cheek, playing the role of ador

ld insist. Then his phone rang,

red sharply, his eye

cked out of the room before he

skly, one hand clutching my purse where the journal sat heavy like a con

arrived, her long red hair pulled back in a profess

he said by way of greeti

eak smile. "Just what every p

What's going on, Lil? Y

park. "Can we walk? I don't

step beside me. "Now sp

to begin. "I need to ask you something, and

lwa

, when you saw me... did y

"What do you m

mes. About how we we

ning to face me directly.

pulled out the journal. "I need you to read t

book hesitantl

throat too t

ron bushes. As Zoe read, her expression shifted

ng the journal gently. "Has he h

. He's been careful since then. But the

ding something about yo

e about the Chicago clinic? And that phone call I overh

scribing sounds like textbook gaslighting. Making you doubt y

g. All the treatments, all the disappointments.

, Lil. That's what makes it so confusing."

did I want to do? Leave the father of my unborn child? Stay and

t what he's hiding first. About Chicago, about that

tical. "I can help with that. The firm has investigat

do that

Lily, you need to be prepared for what they might

ords made this all sudd

ss. Important documents secured." She squeezed my hand. "

y life now, secret investigations and escape plans

ed your permission to photocopy this journ

y marriage had bec

" I whi

refully placing the journal in her bag. "And Lily? Don't

wo

rimaced. "I have court in an

chest. "No. If Jam

nderstanding immediatel

e fresh air hel

didn't argue. "Call me when you

hoed in my head. Be careful. As if I hadn't

ep that brought me closer to our townhouse. To James. To

m the driveway. Relief washed over me for a few more hours of peac

empty house wrapping around me like a comfort blanket. In

an emergency meeting. Backed

e that any decision I made now affected our child too. A s

In our bedroom, I kicked off my shoes and lay down, my

o do?" I whispered

eep, one thought crystallized with perfect clarity: whatever James

e very, very caref