Chapter 12 - Mike tries to explain
Mike asked to see me.
I refused twice.
Accepted the third time because Rebecca recommended one lawyer-facilitated conversation to resolve factual issues without random messaging.
He looked older.
Not dramatically.
Just stripped of confidence.
“How much do you know?”
I laughed.
“Wonderful opening.”
He closed his eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
“List.”
He looked at me.
“What?”
“List what you’re sorry for.”
Rebecca almost smiled.
Mike began.
“Rebecca.”
“That is a person.”
“Sleeping with Rebecca while we were married.”
“Good.”
“Concealing Molly.”
“Yes.”
“The account.”
“Yes.”
“Naya.”
“Yes.”
“Lying about when Naya started.”
“Yes.”
He rubbed his face.
“I don’t know what else you want.”
“That’s already a revealing sentence.”
He stared.
Then:
“I’m sorry Daniel found it.”
“No.”
“What?”
“You are sorry he found it?”
“I mean—”
“You’re sorry you created something for him to find.”
Mike went silent.
Then nodded.
“Yes.”
Better.
“Why did you never tell me about Molly?”
“I thought you’d leave.”
“Yes.”
“And I didn’t want to lose Daniel.”
That surprised me.
“You had no right to keep his relationship with you by deceiving me.”
“I know.”
“Did you love Molly?”
“Yes.”
“Rebecca?”
He hesitated.
“Sometimes.”
Fine.
“Naya?”
“Yes.”
“Me?”
His eyes filled.
“Yes.”
I believed he believed that.
That was what made the story more difficult.
People can love and still construct lives around cowardice.
“Then why?”
He looked at the table.
“Every time I told myself I would fix one thing first.”
There.
Get business stable.
End Rebecca relationship.
Tell Claire after holiday.
Figure out Molly support.
Leave Claire cleanly.
Tell Naya later.
Confess after baby.
May you like
One more thing first.
Lives can be destroyed in postponements.
