Chapter 10: Terms, Not Promises

Adrian’s family attorney sent a proposal on Monday.

Claire read it at June’s dining table with her daughter asleep against her shoulder. The first page described a supervised visit in a neutral place. The second covered medical updates and expenses. The third proposed that Adrian and Claire discuss the twins’ names together.

She put the pages down.

“What’s wrong?” June asked.

“The first two pages are useful.”

“And the third?”

“He still wants us to make one decision as if the rest of this hasn’t happened.”

Tessa called an hour later. Claire told her to accept the proposed meeting place and time, subject to the babies’ health. Adrian could receive the medical updates Claire approved. His contribution to their expenses would go through an account neither the company nor its staff could access.

“Take out the paragraph about the names,” Claire said.

“You’re allowed to choose them.”

“I know. I haven’t chosen yet.”

“Then you don’t owe him a joint decision.”

Claire looked at her son, asleep in the bassinet beside June’s chair. “I’ll tell him when I’ve decided.”

The first visit took place in a small family room at a community center, with June in an adjoining room and Tessa nearby. There were no guards, cameras, or company vehicles. Adrian arrived alone carrying two board books and a packet of diapers.

“I checked the size with Tessa,” he said.

Claire took the diapers. “They’ll fit.”

He had met her eyes when he entered. Now he looked at the carriers, and his expression changed.

“This is your son,” Claire said, lifting the boy out. “Support his head.”

Adrian held out his arms. He followed her instructions so carefully that she almost smiled.

The boy stared at him for several seconds, then began to fuss.

“He needs his bottle,” Claire said.

Adrian sat down while she showed him how to hold it. Halfway through, the boy settled and wrapped one hand around Adrian’s finger.

Adrian swallowed. “Hello.”

“He likes being talked to,” Claire said.

“What do you say to him?”

“Whatever I’m doing. He hears a lot about laundry.”

Adrian gave a quiet laugh. When the boy finished, Claire showed him how to help with a burp. He got milk on his shirt.

“That happens,” she said.

“I assumed it would.”

Their daughter woke soon after. Claire fed her, then placed her in Adrian’s arms. He held both babies in turn, asking ordinary questions about sleep and feeding. Claire answered what she could. For nearly an hour, neither mentioned Nathan, Sloane, or the marriage.

When the visit ended, Adrian returned the girl to Claire.

“Thank you for letting me meet them.”

“They need to know who you are.”

“I’d like to come back.”

“We’ll arrange another visit through Tessa.”

“I understand.”

Claire watched him gather the books he had brought, then change his mind and leave them on the table for the twins.

At the door, he turned. “I won’t ask about their names again.”

“You can ask about the children,” she said. “That’s different.”

He nodded and left.

Two days later, Tessa called with an update from the company review. Owen’s investigators had traced the altered arrangement to Nathan’s office. The evidence showed that his approval account had authorized the medical form and that a workstation assigned to his assistant had assembled the false signature page.

“The assistant has given an account,” Tessa said. “She says Nathan instructed her to prepare a version that appeared complete. She also says Sloane supplied the museum form when Nathan requested a sample of your signature.”

Claire closed her eyes. “Did Sloane know why he wanted it?”

“Sloane says he told her he needed to confirm the spelling of your full name. Her emails support that request, though she could have asked more questions. The investigators are separating what each person knew from what they should have noticed.”

“And Nathan?”

“His attorney disputes the assistant’s account. The board has referred the records to the appropriate authorities and ended his management role. They’re also seeking his removal from the partnership under the company agreement. That part is still being handled.”

Claire had wanted a clear answer. She had one now, even if the consequences would take longer.

“What about the hospital?” she asked.

“It confirmed the form should not have been accepted as authority to share information. It has given you a written account of the disclosure and corrected the twins’ records.”

Claire wrote it down. She had learned not to treat a promised correction as complete until she had seen it.

That evening, Adrian called at their agreed time. Claire told him what Tessa had learned. He had received the same report.

“Nathan says he was trying to protect us,” Adrian said.

“He said that to my face.”

“I believed that about him for years.”

“Do you still?”

“No.”

Claire could hear traffic behind him. “Where are you?”

“Outside Owen’s office. I’ve just finished an interview about what I signed.”

“Was it difficult?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

He was quiet for a moment. “That’s fair.”

“I wasn’t trying to punish you with the question. I need to know you answered it fully.”

“I did. I gave them the September emails and told them I read the summary instead of the pages.”

Claire rested her hand on her son’s bassinet. “I’m glad you told them.”

When she ended the call, she went upstairs to the small room where June kept her father’s photographs. She had a name in mind for her son. She had resisted it because she did not want the boy to inherit Samuel’s choices along with his memory.

But a name could honor the man who taught her to examine a painting closely. It did not have to ask her son to live the rest of Samuel’s life.

For her daughter, Claire thought of the woman downstairs, who had driven through freezing rain, answered questions from the hospital, and stayed without demanding to be thanked.

She went to find June.

“I think I’ve chosen,” she said.