“Ethan told her she would meet them eventually. He said he needed to talk to you first.”
I laughed once.
“He had eighteen months to talk to me.”
Lauren didn’t defend him.
Good.
“Did you ever ask why I wasn’t involved?”
“Yes.”
“And what did he tell you?”
“He said IVF had been very hard on you. Then you became pregnant. After the boys were born, he said you were exhausted.”
Another explanation.
Another version of protecting me without ever asking whether I wanted to be protected.
Lauren lowered her voice.
“Mia doesn’t know there’s been secrecy.”
“I figured.”
“She thinks you know about her.”
I looked up.
“What?”
“She knows you’re Ethan’s wife. She knows you’re Atlas and Owen’s mother. She believes you know she exists.”
“She thinks I’m part of the plan?”
Lauren nodded.
For one terrible second, I wished Mia had never made the drawing.
Then I corrected myself.
Not Mia.
The secret.
When I returned home, Ethan’s mother was in my kitchen holding Atlas.
Ethan had texted that she was coming to help.
Normally, I would have been grateful.
Then she saw Mia’s drawing on the counter.
Her face changed.
“Do you know who Mia is?”
Silence.
Ethan appeared behind her.
“Mom.”
That answered me.
“How long have you known?”
She looked at me.
“Six months.”
Something inside me went cold.
“Have you met her?”
She looked toward Ethan.
“Please answer me.”
“Twice.”
I carefully took Atlas from her and placed him in his seat.
“You met my husband’s daughter before I even knew she existed.”
“Annika, I told him to tell you.”
“But you didn’t.”
Her face fell.
“No.”
“Thank you for helping with Atlas.”
Then I turned toward Ethan.
“Bedroom. Now.”
