Julian turned toward the window, leaving Chloe to answer a question he should have faced ten years earlier.
"The baby is safe," Chloe said gently, although her own voice sounded like it was being pulled through broken glass.
Mara thanked her and asked us not to discuss adult betrayals where Sadie could overhear them again.
For the first time, Julian looked ashamed rather than frightened, yet shame still did nothing for either of his daughters.
After the call ended, Chloe asked him to leave the room while she decided whether she could stand hearing more.
He refused at first, claiming we were misunderstanding a complicated history that could not be explained during a medical emergency.
I reminded him that the doctor had just said there was no emergency caused by the mark he feared.
He snapped that I knew nothing about what he had endured, and his words struck me like a door slammed shut.
