Chapter 22 - FOUR
Lily figured it out first.
Not Ben.
The number.
She was drawing at the kitchen table while Noah ate cereal after a hospital appointment.
Maya was on video call from Cincinnati.
The adults thought we were being subtle.
Children punished arrogance.
Lily looked at Claire.
“You keep saying three when you talk about Grandma's embryos.”
Claire froze.
“What?”
“You used to say three children.”
Noah stopped chewing.
Maya leaned toward the tablet.
Lily continued.
“Now you say children.”
Claire looked at me.
I wanted to lie.
Not forever.
Just until the therapist.
Just until Mark and Julie decided.
Just until later.
The word tasted different now.
I crouched beside Lily.
“There may be another child connected biologically to you.”
Noah stared.
“A brother?”
“We don't know what relationship words he uses.”
Maya asked through the tablet:
“Is he from Grandma Judith too?”
“Yes.”
Claire sat down.
Lily's face changed.
“Does he know?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because his parents are deciding how to tell him.”
Noah frowned.
“But you told us.”
“Eventually.”
Lily crossed her arms.
“Are you hiding him?”
“No.”
It came out too fast.
I slowed down.
“We're protecting his privacy.”
“What's the difference?”
There it was.
The question adults kept failing.
I thought about it.
“A secret says you aren't allowed to know something about your own life because somebody else is afraid.”
Lily listened.
“Privacy means we know something about another person's life that isn't ours to share.”
She considered that.
“So we don't say his name?”
Claire and I exchanged a look.
Lily had overheard enough to know there was a him.
But not his name.
“Correct.”
Noah looked unhappy.
“What if he's sick like me?”
“His parents have your medical information.”
“What if he needs us?”
“Then they can contact us.”
Maya was quiet.
Then:
“What if he never wants to meet us?”
Nobody answered immediately.
I looked at the three children.
The first time I learned Noah was my biological son, I'd had to understand that biology did not give me ownership.
Apparently I needed the lesson again.
“Then we respect that.”
Maya looked away from the screen.
Lily asked:
“Even if he's our brother?”
“Yes.”
Noah muttered:
“That sucks.”
I almost smiled.
“Yes.”
That answer was honest enough.
Later, after the children were gone, Claire stood at the sink.
“I wanted to tell Lily we'd meet him someday.”
“So did I.”
“I hated not saying it.”
“So did I.”
She looked at me.
“We're finally becoming people Mom would've found unbearable.”
I laughed.
May you like
For the first time that day.
“Good.”
