Chapter 9 - Still Your DadI didn't remember sitting down.
One second I was standing in the hallway.
The next I was staring at the tile between my shoes while Nia's words repeated in my head.
She was afraid you wouldn't be her dad anymore.
Daniel stood several feet away.
Claire was crying.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, I looked at him.
“Did you come here to take my daughter?”
“No.”
“Did Claire tell you I was keeping you away?”
“Yes.”
“Did she tell you Maya was your daughter?”
“Yes.”
I shook my head.
“She isn't a possession.”
Daniel nodded.
“I know.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because she asked for me.”
I looked at Claire.
“When?”
She whispered, “Last night.”
My jaw tightened.
“She called him?”
“She found his number.”
“And you let her?”
“I thought she needed answers.”
“You could have given her answers.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
Claire looked at me.
“That she'd choose him.”
I stared at her.
“For fifteen years, did you ever think I was going to stop loving her because DNA said something different?”
She didn't answer.
The operating-room doors opened.
A nurse called my name.
I stood immediately.
“She wants you.”
I followed.
Claire started forward.
Nia gently stopped her.
“Only one person.”
Claire looked at me.
“Please.”
I didn't know what I would have done yesterday.
Today, I knew.
“She gets to choose.”
Nia nodded.
I entered.
Maya was lying beneath bright surgical lights.
Her hair had been pulled back.
The burgundy hoodie was folded over a chair.
A small blanket covered her legs.
When she saw me, tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Dad?”
I took her hand.
“I'm here.”
“Are you mad?”
“At you?”
She nodded.
“Never.”
She stared at me.
“Even now?”
“Especially now.”
Her lips trembled.
“I'm not really yours.”
I pulled a chair closer.
“Look at me.”
She did.
“Your DNA doesn't decide whether you're my daughter.”
“But Mom said—”
“I know what Mom said.”
“What did the doctor tell you?”
“That you're brave.”
She gave a tiny, broken laugh.
“I'm not.”
“You don't have to be.”
She squeezed my hand.
“Daniel is my real dad.”
I breathed slowly.
“Daniel is your biological father.”
She watched me carefully.
“And you?”
I leaned forward.
“I'm the man who taught you to ride a bike.”
Her eyes filled.
“I'm the man who learned every ridiculous piano piece you practiced.”
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“I'm the man who slept on the floor outside your room when you had pneumonia because you were scared to be alone.”
She began crying.
“And I'm the man who is going to be sitting right here when you wake up.”
Her fingers tightened.
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
The nurse checked the monitor.
“We need to go.”
Maya looked at me.
“Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Don't leave.”
“I won't.”
The bed began moving.
I walked beside her until the last possible second.
Then the doors closed.
I returned to the hallway.
Daniel was standing there.
He looked at me.
“How is she?”
“She wants me.”
He nodded.
“I figured.”
I sat down.
After a moment, Daniel sat across from me.
Neither of us spoke for several seconds.
Then he said, “I know you probably hate me.”
“I don't know you well enough to hate you.”
“I thought about contacting her.”
“Why didn't you?”
“Because Claire told me she had a happy life.”
“She did.”
“I didn't want to destroy that.”
I looked at him.
“You didn't.”
Daniel frowned.
“Then who did?”
I glanced through the glass at Claire.
She sat alone in a plastic chair.
Her expensive blouse was wrinkled.
Her makeup was streaked.
For the first time since I had met her, she looked ordinary.
“I think she destroyed it by trying to control it.”
Daniel nodded.
“That's what she does.”
I looked at him sharply.
“What?”
He hesitated.
“Before you, Claire always needed things to happen exactly the way she imagined.”
A surgeon approached.
We both stood.
Dr. Bennett removed his cap.
“The procedure is going well.”
I nearly sagged with relief.
“But we found something important.”
My stomach tightened.
“The mass had caused significant damage, but it appears localized. We removed it.”
“Is it cancer?”
“We sent tissue to pathology.”
“When will we know?”
“Within a day or two.”
I nodded.
Then he looked directly at me.
“There is another issue.”
“What?”
“She'll need genetic counseling.”
I almost laughed.
“Because of the report?”
“Yes.”
I glanced toward Claire.
Dr. Bennett lowered his voice.
“There's also a notation in the outside file.”
“What kind of notation?”
“Someone requested that all future medical records be routed through a private provider.”
My blood ran cold.
“Who requested that?”
He looked toward Claire.
“I believe the request came from her.”
I turned.
Claire's face went pale.
Dr. Bennett continued.
“The request was made under the name of a trust.”
“What trust?”
He checked the file.
“The Maya Rose Hale Foundation.”
I stared at my wife.
“We don't have a foundation.”
Claire stood.
“Marcus…”
“Who created it?”
She started shaking.
“I did.”
“Why?”
She couldn't answer.
Dr. Bennett looked uncomfortable.
“The trust received a substantial life insurance policy in Maya's name.”
Everything went silent.
I looked at Claire.
“You insured our daughter?”
She whispered, “Listen to me.”
“How much?”
May you like
Claire closed her eyes.
“Two million dollars.”