He Wanted a Fourth Baby, But Still Wouldn’t Give Her His Last Name

Danielle read the messages three times.

At first, she felt nothing.

Then her stomach tightened, and the bedroom seemed to shrink around her. The distant laughter from downstairs sounded strangely far away, as if she were listening to her own life through a closed door.

She called Tasha.

Her sister answered on the second ring.

“Hey,” Tasha said.

“You okay?””

“No. You can't send me something like that and then ask if I'm okay.””

“I know.””

“Then tell me what you saw.””

There was a pause.

Danielle pressed the phone harder against her ear.

“Tasha?””

“I saw Marcus outside the county courthouse,” her sister said.

“I was coming back from lunch with one of the girls from work. He was standing near the entrance with a woman.””

“What woman?””

“I don't know her name.””

“What did she look like?””

“Tall. Light brown skin. Long braids. Maybe early thirties.””

Danielle closed her eyes.

That description could have fit hundreds of women in their city.

“What were they doing?””

“Talking. She had a folder, and he was looking at some papers. Then she hugged him.””

Danielle swallowed.

“People hug friends, Tasha.””

“I know that.””

“People go to courthouses for all kinds of reasons.””

“I know that too.””

“Then why are you making it sound like he was getting married to somebody else?””

“I didn't say that, Dani.””

“But you wanted me to think it.””

“No.”” Tasha's voice softened.

“I wanted you to ask questions before you let him talk you into another pregnancy.””

Danielle stood and walked to the window.

Across the street, a neighbor was carrying groceries from a parked car. A porch light flickered on. Somewhere, a dog barked twice.

Ordinary things. The world continued to move while her mind tried to catch up.

“Did you follow them?”” Danielle asked.

“No.””

“Did you hear what they said?””

“No.””

“Then what exactly are you telling me?””

“I'm telling you that I saw something that bothered me, and I couldn't pretend I hadn't seen it after you told me he was asking for another baby.””

Danielle pressed her fingertips against the cool window glass.

“Maybe she was a coworker.””

“Maybe.””

“Maybe he was helping somebody.””

“Maybe.””

“Then why didn't you just say that?””

“Because I know you, Danielle. You'll take every maybe and use it to convince yourself that nothing is wrong.””

The words stung because they were true.

Danielle had become an expert at defending Marcus from accusations nobody else had made. If he forgot an anniversary, he was tired. If he postponed a conversation, he was stressed. If he promised to take her somewhere and canceled at the last minute, the children needed him.

There was always a reason.

And when she couldn't find one, she invented it.

“I'm not saying he's cheating,” Tasha continued.

“I'm not saying I know what he was doing. I'm saying you deserve to know why he was there.””

Danielle lowered her head.

“Did you take a picture?””

“No. I wasn't trying to spy on him.””

“Can you describe the papers?””

“I couldn't read them from where I was standing.””

“Okay.””

“Dani, please don't go downstairs and start a fight based on something I saw for thirty seconds.””

“I won't.””

“Promise me.””

Danielle watched a moth flutter against the window screen.

“I promise I won't start a fight.””

It wasn't the same as promising she wouldn't ask questions.

After they hung up, she remained by the window until she heard Marcus coming upstairs.

He entered the bedroom carrying two folded children's blankets.

“Caleb fell asleep on the couch,” he said.

“That boy fights bedtime like somebody owes him money.””

Danielle forced a small smile.

“Did you put him in his bed?””

“Yeah. Jordan's in there too. Amaya's reading.””

He placed the blankets on the chair and studied her face.

“You been crying?””

“No.””

“Your eyes look funny.””

“I'm tired.””

He walked over and wrapped an arm around her waist. His familiar cologne mixed with the scent of laundry detergent on his shirt.

“You know I hate when we go to bed upset.””

She looked at his reflection in the window.

“Then answer my questions.””

His arm loosened.

“About what?””

“Marriage.””

He sighed.

“Danielle.””

“Just answer me. Are you ever going to marry me?””

He turned her gently to face him.

“Of course.””

“When?””

“Why do you need a date right now?””

“Because I need to know whether you're serious.””

“I am serious.””

“Then give me a time frame.””

He rubbed his chin.

“Can we get through the holidays first? We got school expenses, the car needs work, and Christmas is coming.””

She almost smiled at the familiarity of it.

Last year, the excuse had been the car. The year before, it had been a possible promotion. Before that, it was the cost of their daughter's birthday party.

There was always another month waiting to become the right month.

“Fine,” she said.

“After the holidays.””

Marcus's face relaxed.

“See? That's all I'm asking. Give me a little room to get things together.””

“Together for what?””

“For us.””

She looked at him steadily.

“Marcus, what exactly would you need to get together before marrying me?””

He frowned.

“Why you questioning every word I say?””

“Because every word seems to have a deadline that keeps moving.””

He stepped away and pulled a T-shirt from the dresser.

“I can't do this tonight.””

“Then answer one more question.””

He turned.

“What now?””

“Have you ever been married?””

Marcus stared at her.

The question seemed to land differently from the others. His eyebrows lifted, and his mouth opened slightly before he looked away.

“Where did that come from?””

“Eight years together, three kids, and I realized there's a lot about your past I never really asked.””

“You know my past.””

“I know what you've told me.””

He pulled the shirt over his head.

“Yeah, I was married before. Briefly. I told you that.””

Danielle blinked.

She remembered him mentioning a woman named Renee early in their relationship. He had said they dated when he was young, got married too quickly, and divorced before things became serious.

He had never spoken about it again.

“You said it was years ago.””

“It was.””

“You said there were no kids.””

“There weren't.””

She watched his face carefully.

“Was the divorce finalized?””

Marcus's expression hardened.

“Of course it was.””

“You sound offended.””

“Because you're asking me if I'm secretly married after eight years together. What am I supposed to think?””

She looked down at her hands.

“I don't know. I'm trying to understand why marriage makes you so uncomfortable.””

“It doesn't make me uncomfortable.””

“Then show me the divorce papers.””

The room went quiet.

Marcus stared at her as if she had suddenly become someone he didn't recognize.

“What?””

“You said you were married before. Show me the divorce papers.””

“Why would I keep those things?””

“For the same reason people keep important documents.””

He laughed once, without humor.

“Unbelievable.””

“It's a simple question.””

“No, it's not. You're accusing me of lying about my past.””

“I'm asking you to prove something you just told me.””

He snatched his phone from the dresser.

“I'm going downstairs.””

“Marcus.””

He stopped at the door but didn't turn around.

“I love you, Danielle. I have never given you a reason to think otherwise.””

She swallowed.

“That's not an answer.””

He walked out.

The door remained open behind him.

Danielle sat on the edge of the bed, hearing every word he had said and wondering how many times she had mistaken his confidence for honesty.

Ten minutes later, she heard him laughing at something on television downstairs.

She picked up her phone and opened the conversation with Tasha.

*Danielle: He says he was married before. He says it ended years ago.*

Tasha replied quickly.

*Tasha: Did you ever see the divorce papers?*

Danielle stared at the question.

*Danielle: No.*

A moment passed.

*Tasha: Dani, I need you to listen to me. When I saw him at the courthouse, the woman wasn't standing close to him like somebody asking for help. She was holding his hand.*

Danielle's fingers went cold.

Then Tasha sent another message.

*Tasha: And when they walked away, I heard her call him by a name I've never heard you use.*

Danielle typed with shaking hands.

*Danielle: What name?*