Chapter 9 - JUNEWe had been calling the baby June.
Not officially.
Daniel wanted Katherine.
I wanted June.
We had postponed deciding because we thought there was time.
There wasn’t.
The hospital asked whether I wanted to name her for the records.
I said:
“June Claire Mercer.”
Daniel was not there.
I did not ask him.
Maybe that was unfair.
I did it anyway.
A bereavement nurse brought me a small memory box.
Footprints.
Hospital bracelet.
Ultrasound print.
Blanket.
I hated all of it.
Then protected it obsessively.
Grief is contradictory.
Megan asked if I wanted a funeral.
“No.”
Then two days later:
“Yes.”
Small.
Private.
No Evelyn.
No Olivia.
Daniel could attend if he sat separately.
He did.
He cried through the entire service.
May you like
I did too.
Nothing about that meant we belonged together.
Related Stories
Chapter 10 - EVELYN’S THEORY OF MEEvelyn did not like me from the beginning.
Chapter 11 - MY OWN PRESCRIPTIONMy credibility took a hit.
Chapter 12 - THE TEA TESTLaboratory results from the mug came back.
Chapter 13 - DANIEL’S TEXTSA warrant for Daniel’s phone produced messages with Evelyn.
Chapter 14 - THE FIRST TIME I HAD FELT WRONGTen days before the fall, I fell asleep at my desk at three in the afternoon.
Chapter 15 - DANIEL ADMITS WHAT HE KNEWI met Daniel in my attorney’s office.
