« Why didn’t you tell me before? »
My stomach clenched so hard that I felt sick. I pulled the blanket a little closer to my chest.
« Tell you what? Ethan, you’re scaring me. »
« Look at this child. » His voice cracked mid-sentence as he walked over and placed her in my arms. « Don’t you see it? Don’t you understand what you’ve done? »
I couldn’t breathe.
The room felt narrow, and every ugly thought I’d ever pushed away came rushing in at once.
Did he think Lily wasn’t his? Did he see something wrong with her, some sign the doctors had missed?
Our baby’s skin was warm and pink, her breathing soft and steady. She was completely normal.
« She’s your daughter! » I choked out. My arms tightened around her so instinctively that she squirmed and made a soft, complaining sound. « Ethan, what are you accusing me of? Look at me. »
A tear rolled down his cheek, then another, and he didn’t wipe them away. He just stood there, staring at our baby as if she’d rearranged the entire world.
