The man who forged my name.
He stopped when he saw Dawson beside me.
His face changed.
“Claire.”
I stood.
“Don't come closer.”
He obeyed.
Good.
“Is your mother okay?”
The question almost made me laugh.
“Yes.”
“Thank you for asking during the collapse of our marriage.”
He flinched.
“Can we talk privately?”
“No.”
“Claire.”
“No more private versions of reality.”
Dawson stood.
Ryan looked at him.
“Dawson, I am sorry.”
Dawson laughed.
“You're going to need more specific categories.”
Ryan closed his eyes.
Fair.
I held up the photograph of Oliver.
“Is he your son?”
“Yes.”
“DNA confirmed?”
“Yes.”
“When did you know?”
“Last year.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Ryan looked toward Mom's closed door.
“Because Lena was dying.”
“That explains a week.”
“Maybe a month.”
“Not a year.”
“I was trying to figure out how to tell you.”
I almost screamed.
Instead:
“And while figuring it out, you slept with Megan.”
