Chapter 11 - THE FIFTH FATHER
Amber finally disclosed the father of the fifth baby.
Not Daniel.
Not Mark.
A man named Ryan Hale.
A coworker from a medical billing company.
Their relationship lasted six months.
Ryan knew she was married but believed she was separated.
She had lied to him too.
Ryan ended the relationship when he learned Mark still lived at home.
Amber was now seventeen weeks pregnant.
She had told Tessa:
“You’ll raise this one too”
because Ryan had already refused involvement beyond legal responsibility until paternity was established.
Mark was leaving.
Daniel was exposed.
Amber felt the support network collapsing.
So she reached for the most reliable person.
Tessa.
Again.
That was what the spear fight had really been about.
Not confidence.
Panic.
Amber could feel the system failing.
Then Ryan provided messages.
Amber:
My sister always helps with the kids.
Ryan:
Five kids is a lot.
Amber:
Tessa basically parents with me.
Tessa read the line.
“With me?”
Amber had rewritten forced childcare as co-parenting.
Then another:
Ryan:
Does your husband know how much she does?
Amber:
He loves her for it.
Which husband?
Mark?
Or Daniel?
The ambiguity was awful.
Then Ryan showed a message from Amber:
Sometimes I think Tessa was meant to be the mother and I was meant to have them.
Tessa stared.
That sentence revealed something darker.
Amber had split motherhood into two roles.
She produced children.
May you like
Tessa stabilized them.
Amber resented Tessa for being better at the role she kept forcing her to perform.
