“I corrected it.”
Claire laughed.
Then she saw me.
The laughter stopped.
Both boys noticed.
Leo’s expression changed first.
He moved closer to Claire.
Ethan stared at me.
I had imagined many versions of discovering I had children.
None involved realizing they already knew exactly who I was.
“Claire.”
My voice sounded weak.
She looked at me calmly.
“Adrian.”
Fifteen years.
One word each.
I looked at the boys.
“Leo?”
He said nothing.
“Ethan?”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
I looked back at Claire.
“You knew I was here.”
“You are listed on every sponsor banner in the building.”
“I mean you knew I would see them.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Leo laughed once.
Not kindly.
Claire touched his arm.
He stopped.
She looked at me.
“You want to ask me why I didn’t tell you?”
I heard my own question then.
How absurd it sounded.
“I thought…”
I stopped.
Claire waited.
“I was told you lost the pregnancy.”
Her expression barely changed.
“By whom?”
I looked back toward the hallway.
“Vanessa.”
For the first time, Claire showed surprise.
Then she smiled.
Not warmly.
“Of course.”
“What does that mean?”
