Chapter 6 - SARAH
Sarah met me at a coffee shop near Lakewood.
She looked healthier than the last time I had seen her.
Hair tied back.
No makeup.
Nervous hands.
I placed the printed email between us.
She read it.
Then:
“I didn’t write this.”
“I know.”
Her eyes lifted.
“You believe me?”
“Yes.”
She looked almost angry.
“Why?”
“Because the account was closed.”
“That’s why?”
“And because you would have told me.”
She laughed bitterly.
“Eventually.”
Fair.
Our marriage contained secrets.
Her pills.
My anger.
Money.
Fear.
Still:
“Did you ever doubt Noah was mine?”
“No.”
“Any affair around conception?”
“No.”
“Any affair ever?”
Sarah looked away.
“After Noah was born.”
I absorbed that.
Not pleasant.
Not relevant to paternity.
“Who knew your old password?”
“My mother.”
“Anyone else?”
She thought.
“You.”
“I didn’t.”
“Your dad maybe.”
My chest tightened.
“Why?”
“When I was in treatment, Richard helped organize some bills. You gave him access to our laptop.”
I remembered.
Yes.
Dad helped.
Always helping.
That word was becoming dangerous.
Sarah continued.
“Your mother hated me enough to fake something.”
“Dad submitted it.”
She looked at me.
May you like
“Then stop pretending Diane is the only problem.”
That sentence stayed.
