Claire looked away.
Mark continued.
“I promised her that if she ever needed help, I would be there.”
“And somehow that became three thousand dollars a month?”
“She has medical expenses.”
I looked at Claire.
“Are you sick?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Then what?”
She hesitated.
“I was trying to start over.”
I waited.
She finally said,
“I’ve been going through fertility treatment again.”
I felt my anger weaken slightly.
“But why didn’t Mark tell me?”
Claire looked at him.
“Because he knew how you’d react.”
I turned toward him.
“Did you?”
He didn’t answer.
That was enough.
I walked past them and returned to the dining room.
Everyone was still there.
Everyone was pretending not to notice the tension.
But I knew they had heard enough to understand that something was wrong.
I stood at the head of the table.
“Everyone, I’m sorry.”
The room became silent.
Mark appeared behind me.
