Chapter 6 - THE SECRET CALLUM THOUGHT DIDN’T MATTER
Callum came back the next morning.
He looked like he had not slept.
“There’s something I haven’t told you.”
Marin almost laughed.
“Of course there is.”
He accepted that too.
Six weeks after Elise was born, Lorraine had invited Callum to breakfast.
She brought a home paternity-test kit.
Marin stared at him.
“What did you do?”
“I told her no.”
“Immediately?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to the kit?”
“She kept it.”
“And the pacifier?”
Callum said nothing.
Marin felt something inside her drop.
“You gave her one.”
“I didn’t give it to her for that.”
“But after she showed you the kit?”
“No. Before.”
“Callum.”
“I swear.”
He explained.
Lorraine had asked for the pacifier days earlier.
Then at breakfast she produced the kit.
She told Callum that if he was certain, there was no reason not to test.
Callum refused.
He left.
He never told Marin.
“Why?”
“I was ashamed.”
“Of me?”
“Of her.”
Marin’s anger faltered.
Callum looked at the floor.
“My entire life I’ve cleaned up after my mother emotionally.”
Not financially.
Emotionally.
Lorraine disliked one of his girlfriends.
Callum stopped inviting her around.
Lorraine fought with Graham.
Callum mediated.
Lorraine objected to his college choice.
Callum compromised.
Graham died.
Callum moved back to Connecticut because Lorraine “needed him.”
Each surrender had been small enough to explain.
Until Marin.
Until Elise.
“I thought being a good son meant keeping her calm,” he said.
“And being a good husband?”
He looked at Marin.
“I thought I could do both.”
“You can’t.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
He had no answer.
The relationship shifted there.
Not repaired.
Changed.
Callum was no longer defending Lorraine.
But Marin was no longer willing to reward him simply for reaching the minimum.
That afternoon, Lorraine called Marin directly.
Marin almost ignored it.
Then answered.
Lorraine did not apologize.
“You’re making Callum destroy his career.”
Marin laughed.
“There you are.”
“Kesler River Holdings employs forty-three people.”
“And one private investigator.”
“That was legitimate due diligence.”
“On my ex-boyfriend?”
“You took a trip to the same city.”
“For work.”
“So you say.”
Marin went quiet.
Lorraine continued.
“If Elise is Callum’s, take a test.”
“You have his childhood medical records in your pocket proving you knew she inherited at least one family trait.”
“That proves nothing.”
“Then why did you try to hide them?”
Silence.
Marin finally asked the question she had been avoiding.
“Do you actually believe Elise isn’t Callum’s?”
Lorraine did not answer.
Not yes.
Not no.
May you like
Marin listened to the silence.
And understood that the accusation itself might be useful to Lorraine whether she believed it or not.
