Chapter 2 - The Child Everyone Knew Except Daniel
Daniel did not move toward the boy.
He didn’t move toward Lauren either.
His first instinct was to put more distance between Claire and his parents.
“Claire, get your things.”
Evelyn laughed sharply.
“They’re already on the table.”
Daniel ignored her.
He helped Claire gather the contents of her purse.
The bracelet remained where Robert had placed it.
Lauren came downstairs slowly, one hand resting on the little boy’s shoulder.
The boy stared at Daniel with open curiosity.
“Mom,” he whispered, “is that him?”
Daniel heard it.
Claire did too.
Lauren closed her eyes briefly.
“Not now, Owen.”
Daniel’s stomach tightened.
“How old is he?”
Lauren looked directly at him.
“Seven.”
The number hit harder than the accusation downstairs.
Daniel and Lauren had ended their engagement almost eight years earlier.
At the time, she had been pregnant.
For eleven days.
Then she told him the pregnancy was no longer viable.
She moved to Colorado less than three months later.
Daniel had grieved something he believed had ended before it truly began.
Now a seven-year-old boy was standing in his parents’ foyer staring at him.
Evelyn stepped forward.
“You deserve to know your son.”
Claire turned.
“Your son?”
Daniel raised a hand.
“Mom, stop.”
“He is.”
“You don’t get to announce that.”
Evelyn’s jaw hardened.
“We’ve wasted enough time.”
Daniel looked at Lauren.
“Is he mine?”
Lauren’s face tightened.
“I believe so.”
“You believe so?”
“I never had a paternity test.”
Daniel’s anger sharpened.
“Then nobody says anything to him about me being his father until we know.”
The boy flinched.
Daniel immediately regretted the volume of his voice.
He crouched several feet away.
“Hey, Owen. None of this is your fault, okay?”
The child nodded cautiously.
Then Daniel stood again.
Claire was silent.
Too silent.
He touched the small of her back.
“We’re leaving.”
Evelyn blocked the path toward the front door.
“You’re walking away from your own child because of her?”
Daniel stared at his mother.
“I’m walking away from you.”
Robert finally spoke.
“Daniel, everyone is emotional. Sit down.”
Daniel looked at the bracelet still lying on the dining table.
Then at his father.
“Did you know Lauren was upstairs?”
Robert hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Did you know about Owen?”
Another pause.
“For some time.”
Claire gave a small, disbelieving laugh.
Daniel felt the floor beneath him shift.
“How long is ‘some time’?”
Robert’s expression became carefully neutral.
“This isn’t the place.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“This is exactly the place.”
Robert said nothing.
Lauren did.
“Daniel, I didn’t come here to destroy your marriage.”
Claire turned toward her.
“Then why are you in my mother-in-law’s house while she’s framing me for theft?”
Lauren looked genuinely confused.
“Framing you?”
Claire pointed at the bracelet.
Lauren’s eyes moved toward Evelyn.
Something in her expression changed.
She hadn’t known about that part.
Daniel noticed.
So did Claire.
Whatever was happening, Lauren wasn’t standing in the same conspiracy Evelyn and Robert were.
That realization did not make the situation better.
It made it larger.
Daniel picked up Claire’s coat.
He turned to Lauren.
“I’ll contact you tomorrow. We’ll arrange a paternity test through attorneys.”
Evelyn exploded.
“Attorneys? He’s your child!”
Daniel opened the front door.
“If he is, then he deserves better than this circus.”
Claire walked outside.
Daniel followed.
Before he closed the door, he looked at Robert.
“One question.”
His father waited.
“How long have you known?”
Robert’s silence lasted long enough to become an answer.
May you like
Then he said quietly:
“Since before Owen was born.”
