For Our 10th Anniversary, My Husband Gave Me a Green Dress and My Sister a Baby novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: Say It Again

Graeme came the next night, at ten, in the rain.

I heard him on the street before I saw him, saying my name up at the window.

Then the street door opened, because the bakery's landlord had given him a key.

I stood at the top of the stairs with my phone in my hand.

I pressed record and slid it into the pocket of my cardigan.

He climbed up slowly, soaked to the collar, with no coat.

"Phoebe," he said. "Thank you for letting me in."

"I didn't."

"I know. I'm sorry." He stood on the landing with water running off his hair. "I need five minutes. Not as your husband. As someone who's been very, very stupid."

I let him come in.

He looked at the mattress on the floor, the file boxes, the single lamp.

His face crumpled.

"You're living here," he said. "You're sleeping on the floor."

"It's a nice floor."

"I'll fix it. Whatever it takes. I know what I did was wrong."

"Which part?"

He drew a breath.

"The letter. I should have told you. I was a coward. I couldn't stand the thought of seeing your face when you found out it was me." He wiped his eyes. "I'd have done anything for you to keep looking at me the way you did."

It was a good speech.

It would have worked on me ten days ago.

"And Bethany?"

"That was a lapse," Graeme said. "She was lonely, and I was lonely, and you were so busy with the treatments. It meant nothing. I don't love her."

"You gave her a staff lanyard and a dress."

"I gave her a place to be safe. She's your sister, Phoebe. I couldn't throw her out."

"You announced the baby at our anniversary party."

"I know," he said. "I know. It was a terrible way to do it. I wanted it to feel like family, and I mishandled it."

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