Chapter 4
Michael tried to come to me.
Emily blocked him.
My brave girl lifted both arms like her small body could hold back every adult in the room.
“Don’t,” she said.
Michael stopped.
That hurt him.
Good.
It needed to.
“Sarah,” he whispered. “I didn’t know.”
I wanted to believe him.
I also remembered every time he had told me his mother was harmless.
Every time he said Linda just cared too much.
Every time he asked me to let her have one more ultrasound picture, one more nursery key, one more say in our lives.
“Where were you?” I asked.
His mouth opened.
No answer came fast enough.
Linda grabbed his sleeve.
“Michael, listen to me.”
He pulled away.
“Mom, who is that man?”
The fake doctor said nothing.
Security held him by the door.
Linda’s face hardened.
“He is helping us.”
“With what?”
“With protecting your son.”
The room went silent.
My son.
Not our baby.
Not my grandson.
Your son.
Michael stepped back.
“From Sarah?”
Linda looked at me with disgust.
“She already had one child from another man. She would have turned this boy against us too.”
Emily flinched.
I saw red.
Dr. Patel ordered everyone but medical staff out.
Police arrived minutes later.
Linda refused to answer questions without a lawyer.
The fake doctor gave a name that turned out to be false.
My baby was placed against my chest at last.
Warm.
Tiny.
Mine.
Emily climbed beside me carefully.
Michael stood at the doorway, forbidden to enter until I allowed it.
I looked at him.
“You choose now,” I said.
“Your mother’s version of family, or us.”
His eyes filled.
He looked at Linda.
Then at me.
“I choose you.”
May you like
Linda laughed.
“No, you don’t.”
