Chapter 4
Daniel followed me outside.
Of course he did.
He had waited until the audience was gone.
The Dallas air was hot and thick.
My cheek still burned.
I walked toward my car.
“Sarah, wait.”
I did not.
He caught up near the driveway.
“Please.”
That word almost stopped me.
Almost.
I turned.
“What?”
His eyes were red.
He looked miserable.
Good.
“Everything got out of control.”
I stared at him.
“Your mother slapped me.”
“I know.”
“She called me broken.”
“I know.”
“You knew the report said I could have children.”
His face twisted.
“I was ashamed.”
“So you let me be ashamed instead.”
He flinched.
“That’s not fair.”
I stepped closer.
“No, Daniel. Fair would have been you telling your mother to shut up the first time she asked about my body. Fair would have been you reading your report and saying, ‘Mom, stop blaming my wife.’ Fair would have been you not watching me get slapped before finding a voice.”
He looked away.
“I didn’t know about Dad.”
“Neither did I.”
“My mother lied to all of us.”
“Yes.”
“And I lied by silence.”
He looked back at me.
“I’m sorry.”
I wanted those words to matter.
They arrived too late and too small.
“I’m going to Nora’s.”
“My sister?”
“My sister.”
His face fell.
“Are you leaving me?”
I touched the car door handle.
“You left me at that table first.”
He reached for my hand.
I stepped back.
He froze.
The memory of his mother’s slap sat between us.
“Sarah.”
“Do not come after me tonight.”
He nodded slowly.
I got into the car.
As I drove away, I saw Robert standing on the porch behind him.
Evelyn was not outside.
May you like
Of course not.
Women like Evelyn did damage indoors, then let everyone else stand in the weather.
