Chapter 1 - THE SUITCASE BY THE OPEN DOOR
Claire heard suitcase wheels scraping across the hardwood before she saw Margaret.
She rushed out of Owen’s nursery and stopped in the hallway.
The front door stood wide open.
Cold late-afternoon air moved through the house.
Margaret was already at the threshold.
A small gray suitcase rolled behind her.
In her other hand was Owen’s infant car seat.
Claire’s newborn son was strapped securely inside, sleeping beneath his blue knit blanket.
For one second, Claire could not understand what she was looking at.
Then instinct took over.
“Put him down.”
Margaret kept moving.
Claire lunged forward and grabbed the car-seat handle.
Margaret tightened her grip.
“Let go.”
“Where are you taking my son?”
“Claire, stop making a scene.”
“This is my house!”
The baby stirred.
Claire immediately lowered her voice, but she did not loosen her hand.
“Give me my baby.”
Margaret pulled toward the doorway.
Claire shoved her hard enough to force her backward and yanked the car seat safely behind her own body.
Owen remained secure.
Margaret’s composure vanished.
Claire planted herself between Margaret and the baby.
“Where the hell were you taking him?”
Margaret straightened her beige cardigan.
Then she said something Claire would hear in her head for months.
“Somewhere you can’t get him back.”
Claire stared at her.
Margaret moved first.
She charged forward and struck Claire across the face.
Once.
Then again.
Claire recoiled but refused to move away from Owen.
Margaret hit her two more times in furious succession.
The fourth slap snapped Claire’s head sideways.
Claire’s cheek burned.
Her eyes filled.
But her hand stayed locked around the car-seat handle.
“You will never take my baby from me!”
Fast footsteps sounded outside.
Ryan rushed through the open door.
He stopped.
Suitcase.
Claire shielding Owen.
Margaret standing over her.
“What the hell is happening?”
Margaret looked at him.
For the first time, she seemed afraid.
“She wasn’t supposed to find out yet.”
Ryan froze.
Claire slowly looked toward her husband.
“Find out what?”
Margaret’s gaze stayed on Ryan.
“Tell her.”
Ryan went pale.
“Margaret, stop.”
“No.”
Margaret pointed toward Claire.
“Tell her why you already chose who gets Owen if she disappears.”
Everything inside Claire went quiet.
She turned fully toward Ryan.
Her husband did not answer.
That hurt more than Margaret’s hand.
“Ryan?”
He looked at Owen.
Then at Claire.
“I can explain.”
Claire pulled the car seat closer.
“No.”
Her voice shook.
“You can start with one word.”
Ryan swallowed.
Claire stared directly at him.
“Did you?”
May you like
He hesitated.
And that hesitation gave her the answer before he ever spoke.
