Chapter 13 - THE FIRST VISIT AFTER THE BIRTH
Their daughter was born on a rainy April morning.
Seven pounds, four ounces.
Dark hair.
Enormous lungs.
They named her Claire Elise.
Diane learned through Ryan.
She asked to come immediately.
Ryan said:
“Tomorrow afternoon for one hour.”
“I’m her grandmother.”
“Yes.”
“I should be there now.”
“No.”
“You’re punishing me.”
“No.”
The next day Diane arrived exactly eleven minutes early.
Ryan did not let her in until the agreed time.
It seemed ridiculous.
It was not.
Boundaries survive through boring repetition.
Diane entered carrying flowers.
She looked older.
Smaller somehow.
When she saw Claire, her face softened genuinely.
Emily believed Diane loved the baby.
Love had never been the question.
Diane held Claire carefully.
For twenty minutes, everything went well.
Then she said:
“You know, if Emily changes her mind about work, I could watch her every day.”
Ryan answered before Emily had to.
“She’s not changing her mind.”
Diane’s mouth tightened.
“I was only offering.”
“And we appreciate the offer.”
“I just think babies need family.”
Ryan smiled slightly.
“She’ll have one.”
Diane looked at him.
The conversation ended.
No explosion.
No shouting.
May you like
That was what change looked like most of the time.
A sentence stopped before it became a war.
