Chapter 11 - NATALIE
Natalie asked me to meet her without the men.
Good idea.
Coffee shop near the hospital.
Both babies stayed home.
She looked healthier.
Still tired.
“So.”
she said.
“Our husbands are idiots.”
I almost laughed.
“Different kinds.”
“David wants that distinction too.”
She stirred coffee she did not drink.
“He said he was protecting me.”
“Ryan said he was protecting Nora.”
“Were you protected?”
“No.”
“Me either.”
We sat with that.
Natalie told me David had finally admitted he had been afraid she would panic and demand Sophie be transferred to another hospital.
“Would you have?”
“Probably.”
She shrugged.
“And then somebody could have explained why that was or wasn't safe.”
Exactly.
David had made the decision before giving her the information.
That was the problem.
Then Natalie surprised me.
“We're doing paternity testing.”
I blinked.
“Why?”
“Because David can't stop thinking about it.”
The babies were correctly matched to the mothers.
That should have been enough.
But the entire incident had been about identity.
David wanted his name confirmed too.
Natalie resented it.
Then admitted she wanted the paper as much as he did.
“After this, I don't want to spend six months noticing Sophie's nose.”
I understood.
Ryan had asked for the same thing.
Dana told me I did not have to consent merely because he was anxious.
I thought about it.
Then agreed.
Not because Ryan deserved reassurance.
Because if we were going into a custody process, parentage needed no new argument later.
Independent accredited lab.
Separate chain of custody.
Ryan paid for ours.
David paid for theirs.
No hospital involvement.
Natalie looked at me.
“Do you think you're divorcing him?”
“Yes.”
First time I said it out loud without adding probably.
“How did that feel?”
“Expensive.”
She laughed.
Then covered her mouth because she had almost sprayed coffee.
For thirty seconds, we were just two exhausted women.
Then her phone buzzed.
David.
She ignored it.
Mine buzzed.
Ryan.
I ignored mine too.
May you like
That felt childish for a second.
Then peaceful.
