Chapter 17: Stay

Dillon carried the car seat down two flights of stairs with Theo asleep in it and never let it tilt.

I came behind him one step at a time with the diaper bag, my hand on the rail.

Brett's silver car was still at the curb.

He got out when he saw us.

He stood by his open door in the clean shirt, with his hands loose at his sides.

"Millie."

I did not answer.

"I didn't want to do it like this. You made it like this."

"Get back in your car, Brett."

"I'd like to see my son."

"You'll see him in court."

He looked at Dillon, at the car seat in his hand, and at the white T-shirt.

"This is who's helping you? A nurse."

"I'm a charge nurse," Dillon said pleasantly. "It's a real promotion."

Brett smiled, and it was the tight one.

"Enjoy him, Millie. Soon a judge will hear what he's been doing in your sister's living room."

"Get in the car," I said.

He did.

The silver car pulled out slowly, and Brett did not look back.

Dillon opened the back door of his own car and set the seat in its base, checking the belt twice.

His hands were quick and sure.

I stood on the sidewalk and watched him do it.

The thing I had been holding since Sunday came up my throat all at once.

"You called his father."

Dillon stopped, one hand on the buckle.

"I'm sorry?"

"On Sunday. You called Brett's father from the corridor and told him what Kendall did."

"Yes."

"You told the social worker about the tape."

"I was on a table, Dillon."

"I know where you were."

"With my stomach open. You told my husband's family everything."

"I-"

"You gave a hospital a file with my baby's name on it, and you didn't ask me."

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