Daniel closed his eyes.
Truth from a nine-year-old could be brutal.
Laura nodded.
“I know.”
“Did you not want her?”
The question shattered the room.
Laura looked toward the stairs.
Nora stood there.
She had heard.
Daniel almost moved toward her.
Stopped.
This belonged to Nora.
Laura saw her biological daughter.
For the first time, Daniel watched the resemblance become undeniable.
The shape of the mouth.
The chin.
Something around the eyes despite their different focus.
Laura stood.
“Nora.”
Nora held the rail.
“Answer Chloe.”
Laura went pale.
“What?”
“Did you not want me?”
Laura pressed one hand against her chest.
“No.”
Nora's expression did not change.
“No what?”
“I wanted you.”
“Then why did you sign?”
Laura cried openly.
“Because I was eighteen and frightened and everyone around me said wanting you wasn't enough.”
Nora gripped the cane.
“And twenty-four years later?”
Laura's face collapsed.
“I was still frightened.”
Nora nodded slowly.
“That part I believe.”
Laura flinched.
Nora continued down the stairs.
“You don't get to tell me leaving me in the storm was love.”
“I know.”
“You don't get to tell me stealing my phone was panic and expect that word to make it smaller.”
“I know.”
“You don't get to make Daniel responsible for explaining you.”
Laura whispered:
“I know.”
Nora stopped several feet away.
Laura held out the phone.
Nora did not take it.
Daniel did.
He placed it on the table beside her.
Then the shoes.
Nora touched them.
Her face changed.
“I had these because Evelyn bought them before she died.”
Laura closed her eyes.
Another injury.
Not intended perhaps.
Still real.
Chloe watched both women.
Then asked:
“Can Mom apologize?”
Nora’s expression softened slightly.
Laura looked at her daughter.
“I am sorry.”
Nora answered:
“For which thing?”
Laura nodded through tears.
“That's fair.”
Then she did something Daniel had almost never seen her do during their marriage.
She stopped defending herself.
“I am sorry I left you.”
“I am sorry I lied about Chloe.”
“I am sorry I took your phone.”
“I am sorry I let you believe nobody was coming back.”
Nora’s mouth trembled.
Laura continued.
“I am sorry I spent twenty-four years calling fear responsibility.”
Silence.
Nora sat.
Not beside Laura.
Across from her.
“What was I like?”
Laura stopped.
“What?”
“When I was born.”
Daniel saw immediately what the question did.
Laura’s entire body changed.
She sat slowly.
“You had black hair.”
Nora touched her blond strands reflexively.
“It fell out.”