Chapter 2

"Mom, can you come back? Talia won't stop crying, and Dad's really angry now." I had barely gotten into my car when Cole called. I stared at the brightly lit windows of my in-laws' house. "She's crying, so you called me?" "That's not what I mean." Cole lowered his voice. "It's Christmas. This didn't have to turn into such a big scene." "Then tell me, Cole. What was supposed to happen?" The other end of the line went quiet for several seconds. "Mom, it's not like Dad doesn't want you anymore." I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. "Cole, when exactly did you find out about them?" "What difference does that make now?" "Answer me." He sighed. "Three months ago." Three months ago. That was when I had been helping him connect with investors. He came to our house for dinner every week, called me Mom, and complained about how hard it was to build a company. Once, he had even leaned against the kitchen doorway and told me, "Good thing I still have you." I had always thought those were the words of a son who depended on his mother. "You knew Talia was pregnant?" "Yes." "You knew the baby was your father's?" "Mom, do you really have to drag it down into the gutter like that?" I closed my eyes. "So you knew I had no idea, but you still let me help with your funding materials, ate dinner with me, and accepted the Christmas present I bought you?" Cole finally sounded impatient. "What does any of that have to do with my company? Dad said he would take care of everything. Why do you have to drag everyone else into it?" I didn't answer. He continued, "Besides, you and Dad have been married for years, and he's always treated you well. There's just another child now. It's not like anyone is throwing you out." I ended the call. A few seconds later, Peyton's name appeared on the screen. I answered. "Mom, did you really leave?" "You saw me go." "I thought you'd wait outside for Dad." She sounded aggrieved. "Talia almost cried until she passed out. Grandma said pregnant women aren't supposed to get upset." "Peyton, when did you find out she was pregnant?" "Mom..." "Tell me." "September." I looked out the car window. In September, Peyton had told me she was going to a baby expo with a friend. That day, she sent me a picture of a crib and asked whether white or light wood looked better. I had carefully chosen the light wood one. "You went shopping for baby things with Talia in September, didn't you?" Peyton didn't deny it. "She was scared, and Dad couldn't be with her all the time. I was just trying to help." "When you helped her pick out a crib, did you ever consider telling me?" "I promised Dad I would keep it a secret." The words burst out of her. Then her voice dropped. "Dad said he would find the right time to explain. He also said you loved us so much that you would understand eventually." I stared at the emblem in the center of the steering wheel. "What about you? Did you ever think about telling me?" "I didn't want this family to fall apart." "So you chose to leave me completely in the dark?" Peyton began to cry. "I don't want to lose you, but I want a little brother too. Mom, why can't we keep living the way we always have?" Before I could answer, I heard Loretta's voice in the background. "Peyton, give me the phone." A moment later, my mother-in-law spoke. "Blair, you've embarrassed everyone enough. The children were only trying to protect this family. Don't take your anger out on them." "You knew they were keeping this from me?" "Of course I knew. We all discussed it and decided to tell you when the time was right." "And when exactly would that have been?" "After Talia had the baby. It would have been better to discuss it calmly then than let everything become a disaster now." I listened, stunned. They had actually discussed deceiving me for several more months. "Blair," Loretta continued, "just because you don't have children of your own doesn't mean you can't accept Derek's child. You raised Cole and Peyton, didn't you?" My chest tightened sharply. For eighteen years, I had never treated Cole or Peyton as anything less than my own. But according to Loretta, raising them was now the reason I was obligated to accept my husband's illegitimate child. "I'm not discussing this with you anymore." I ended the call and started the car. Halfway home, Derek called. "Where are you?" "Going home." "My tone was out of line earlier." He paused. "But you saw how it was. Talia is pregnant. I couldn't let anything happen to her." "So you sent the children to talk me into coming back?" "They just don't want to lose you." "Derek, Cole has known for three months. Peyton went shopping for baby supplies with her in September. Your parents were even planning to wait until after the baby was born to tell me." The other end of the line fell silent. "How long were all of you planning to lie to me?" "Blair, I never intended to leave you." "That wasn't what I asked." He sighed. "We've been a family for eighteen years. Are you really going to make Cole and Peyton lose their mother because Talia is pregnant?" I pulled over to the side of the road. "Are you threatening me with them now?" "I'm reminding you how much you love them." I stared down the empty street ahead. Derek knew better than anyone how deeply I loved those two children and how much I hated seeing them hurt. And tonight, he was using that love to demand that I accept his betrayal. "Derek, are you coming home tonight?" "Talia is still upset. I need to stay with her a little longer. Get some rest, and we'll talk properly tomorrow." I looked at the screen and ended the call. When I arrived home, the six Christmas presents I had prepared that morning were still sitting on the dining table. Derek's watch, the pen Cole wanted, the bracelet Peyton had been talking about for months, and the gifts for my in-laws. Each one had a card I had written by hand. I put them away in the cabinet one at a time. Then I picked up my phone and found the contact information for a divorce law firm. No one answered on Christmas Day. I left a voicemail: "Hello, my name is Blair Winslow. I'd like to schedule a divorce consultation as soon as possible." After ending the call, I looked around the empty living room. Derek thought that tomorrow, just as we had for the past eighteen years, we would sit down and resolve another family argument. He didn't know I had already begun preparing to end our marriage.