He rubbed his forehead. “Jessica says if I apologize now, people will think I admitted something.”
“Your choices are not Jessica’s responsibility,” I answered.
He looked at the ultrasound photographs I had brought for the legal record. His expression softened when he saw the two profiles, but I could not tell whether it was regret or curiosity.
“I didn’t know there were two,” he said.
“You would have if you’d come to the appointment.”
He asked whether we could start over. I told him that parenthood and marriage were separate questions. The children deserved clarity and care. I did not owe him another marriage.
When the meeting ended, I felt the strange relief of having said something without waiting for him to agree.
CHAPTER 18: THE LAST WEEKS
The final trimester demanded more of me than I had expected. Appointments multiplied, sleep became difficult, and the specialist recommended a delivery plan based on the babies’ positions and growth. I learned to ask for help before I was completely exhausted.
