Chapter 6: The Question He Couldn’t Answer

Graham didn’t reply for nearly an hour.

When he finally did, it was only three words.

“We need to talk.”

I almost smiled.

For four years, I had been asking to talk.

About the wedding.

About the house.

About Lily.

About why Sloane seemed to have a place in his life that I was never allowed to occupy.

Every time, there had been another reason to wait.

Now that I had stopped waiting, suddenly there was something urgent to discuss.

I put my phone face down and continued organizing the documents on my laptop.

At ten thirty, another message arrived.

“Nora, I’m serious.”

I typed back.

“So am I.”

His call came less than thirty seconds later.

I let it ring twice before answering.

“What do you want?”

There was a pause.

“What is going on with you?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re acting completely different.”

I looked at the engagement ring beside my laptop.

“Maybe I’m finally acting like myself.”

His breathing changed.

“Is this because of Sloane?”

I said nothing.

That silence answered him more clearly than any accusation could have.

“Nora, you know what her role is in Lily’s life.”

“I know exactly what her role is.”

“Then why are you behaving like this?”

I leaned back in my chair.

“Because I finally saw the difference between the rules you made for me and the rules you made for her.”

Another silence.

Then Graham lowered his voice.

“You’re misunderstanding the situation.”

“Then explain it.”

He hesitated.

“Sloane has been helping with Lily for years.”

“I know.”

“She’s Lily’s godmother.”

“I know that too.”

“Her being in the house doesn't mean anything.”

I almost laughed.

“Then why was she listed as a resident?”

The silence that followed was longer this time.

I could hear traffic moving in the background on his end.

“That was just an administrative designation.”

“For three years?”

Nothing.

“During your custody weeks?”

Still nothing.

“And overnight?”

His voice became defensive.

“She was helping with Lily.”

“So was I.”

That stopped him.

I continued before he could interrupt.

“I drove her to school. I helped with homework. I attended her appointments when you were working. I bought her birthday gifts. I spent entire weekends making sure she had everything she needed.”

My voice remained calm.

“But I was never allowed to stay overnight.”

“That was different.”

“How?”

He didn't answer.

I waited.

Finally, he said, “Lily needed boundaries.”

“Apparently only with me.”

His tone hardened.

“You're turning this into something it isn't.”

“No, Graham. You turned it into something it wasn't four years ago.”

I closed my laptop.

“You told me no woman could become too much a part of the house before the wedding because Lily couldn't handle another mother.”

I took a breath.

“But Sloane had a key.”

“That doesn't mean—”

“She slept there.”

Silence.

“For three years.”

He finally said, “You don't understand what was happening.”

“Then tell me.”

Nothing.

That was the answer.

I had spent four years accepting explanations that had never required proof.

Now, when I asked for one, he had nothing to give me.

“Nora, please don't do anything rash.”

I smiled bitterly.

“I already did.”

“What does that mean?”

“The wedding is canceled.”

His breathing stopped.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then he said my name.

Not angrily.

Not impatiently.

Almost as if he had only just remembered that I was capable of leaving.

“Nora.”

I looked at the ring on the table.

“You should have given me a key four years ago.”

Then I ended the call.