Chapter 6 - THE PATERNITY RESULT CAME BACK
Rebecca agreed to the prenatal paternity test.
Ethan did not want to wait until birth.
Neither did Charles.
The results arrived eleven days later.
Ethan sat in Samuel’s office.
Rebecca sat across from him.
No Charles.
Claire waited in another room because this part did not belong to her.
Rebecca opened the envelope.
Her hands shook.
Then she started crying.
Ethan knew before she spoke.
“The baby is yours.”
He closed his eyes.
Relief did not come.
That surprised him.
He had imagined that if the child were his, some part of his life might snap back into place.
It didn’t.
The baby was his.
The marriage was still broken.
Rebecca reached toward him.
He pulled his hand back.
“I’m sorry.”
He looked at her.
“Do you want the baby?”
The question frightened her.
“Yes.”
“Do you want me involved?”
“Yes.”
“Then we figure out parenting.”
Her eyes filled.
“And us?”
Ethan’s voice shook.
“There is no us right now.”
Rebecca nodded.
She deserved that.
But she was also carrying his child.
That complicated everything.
Not morality.
Logistics.
Medicine.
Custody.
Birth.
May you like
Communication.
Pain did not erase responsibility.
