Chapter 161

With my phone pressed to my ear, I listen to it ring.

Around me, the hospital hallway is busy, nurses and doctors hurrying around, going about their business.

Standing outside of Thea’s room, I watch my parents worry as they watch her in her bed.

I’m worried too, which is why I’m so desperate to hear Miles’s voice.

The doctors have sedated Thea, and the baby seems okay for now. But she needs to find a way to calm down or she risks losing the child.

Thea might have brought this fate upon herself, but cheating and then expecting Garnar to stay. Further, she deluded herself into thinking that the baby was Garnar’s, despite the insurmountable evidence to the contrary.

It was almost too much to bear. Thea and I have our differences, but this is not the life I ever wanted for her. I’m less resentful now about her and Garnar. Showing me the kind of person Garnar truly is saved me a world of trouble and heartbreak. It helped open me to the new kind of life I could lead without his dead weight holding me back.

Because of her affair with Garnar, I pursued my own career and my own life, and now I have my own house, my own job, and… Miles.

Yet even if I didn’t have these things… Even if things hadn’t worked out for me… I still wouldn’t want her to be the hospital with the threat of losing her baby.

I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, especially my sister.

The phone rings twice more. Just as I think it’s going to go straight to voicemail, Miles finally picks up.

“Esther, hello.”

He sounds pleased to speak with me. I hate to ruin his excitement by telling him all that’s occurred. He’s likely only expecting an update on my family drama, not the news that one of us has been hospitalized.

Behind me, someone on the PA system requests a doctor to head to a specific room. In the quiet of our call, Miles’s voice immediately fills with worry.

“What’s going on?” he asks.

So I tell him everything that transpired up until this moment.

When I’m finished, he exhales. “Damn. Should I come there?”

“Why would you do that?” I ask. He’s on the campaign trail. With the primaries coming up, he really needs to focus on what he’s doing there.

“To be there for you, Esther,” he says, so patiently.

“Oh,” I reply. Garnar would have never offered to drop everything to come help me with anything. For Miles to offer, when he’s doing something as important as running for president, makes me realize how very wonderful he truly is.

“I can find a flight tonight,” Miles says.

“No,” I tell him quickly. “I appreciate what you are trying to do, but no. You being here would only make things more complicated. As long as I can call you… after… I’ll be okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“I am.”

“I would do, you know. If you ever need me, I’d be there in a heartbeat.”

“I know, Miles,” I tell him, and my heart feels full again for the first time since coming back home. “Honestly, it’s just good to hear your voice.”

Miles hums in agreement. “What are you going to do if she doesn’t face reality?”

“She has to eventually,” I say, and wonder if it’s worth talking to Garnar about. Surely he loved Thea once. Maybe even enough to care about her now.

Her infidelity had to be a slap to the face though, and he doesn’t truly owe her anything now. I’m not sure if involving him is the right thing to do for either of them.

Looking through the window, I notice Thea starting to rouse. She glances around, confused.

“I hope…” I tell him.

I speak a bit more with Miles, before cutting our conversation short so I can check on Thea. By now, the doctor has gone in to see her. With him leaving, I duck inside the room.

My parents are crowded around Thea, who has started crying again.

“It will be okay, honey,” Mom says. Dad stands stoic nearby.

Watching them near the doorway, I feel a bit like an outside looking in at my own family. I wrap my arms around myself and stay where I am, afraid to come too close and intrude on this moment.

I stay there a few moments, before Thea falls back asleep. Dad then glances over to the door. A flicker of surprise crosses his face like he’d forgotten I was standing there. It hurts more than he should.

After another moment, Dad leaves his post at Thea’s bedside and comes over to me.

“You need to speak with Garnar,” he tells me. “Convince him that accepting Thea and her baby is the right choice.”

How on earth am I supposed to do that? And why would I want to? Thea needs to learn to accept the consequences for her affair. Garnar doesn’t have anything to do with this anymore.

But this is how it’s always been since Thea’s return to the family. Mom and Dad spoil her as much as they can.

“Garnar won’t go for it,” I say. “He’s already made it clear that he doesn’t want anything to do with Thea if the baby isn’t his.”

“I’ll pay him,” Dad says without missing a beat.

“What?”

“I’ll give him six figures,” Dad says. “Find out how much he wants.”

“Dad, I really don’t think that –”

“Go now, Esther. For Thea.”

As much as I want to, I can’t argue with that. If I say no, my parents will feel like I’m not supporting Thea enough, and I’ll be ostracized from the family again.

“I guess I can talk to him,” I say, hoping he says no.

It doesn’t feel right to drag Garnar into this. Shouldn’t we be reaching out to the baby’s actual father?

But Thea made clear she wants someone with the means to spoiler her, and the blood father doesn’t have those means.

Dad shoos me like he wants me to go right this second. With a sigh, I turn toward the door.

The lights are on at Garnar’s house and his car is in the driveway. I’m relieved. I know our daughters are at a sleepover tonight so I wasn’t sure he’d be home.

I really want to get this over with as soon as possible.

I park behind Garnar in the driveway, then walk up to the front door and ring the bell.

From inside, I hear laughter – including that of a woman. Trepidation builds in my gut. That’s not a good sign.

I right the doorbell again.

Garnar grumbles as he pulls open the door. When he sees me standing there, he exhales in annoyance. “Not tonight, Esther. Whatever you want, you should have called first.”

“It’s important,” I tell him. I know for a fact he wouldn’t have heard me out on the phone. The only chance at this plan working at all is to deliver my father’s proposal in person. “Thea’s in the hospital.”

Garnar’s eyes harden even further. “Explain to me how that is my problem.”

I haven’t even told him what’s wrong with Thea. She could be dying. He doesn’t care. The coldness in his tone tells volumes.

“My father wants to offer you six figures to return to her life,” I force myself to say.

Garnar stares for a moment, and then he laughs.

That’s not a good sign.

“Garnar? Who is it?”

Suddenly a woman appears in the entryway wearing nothing but one of Garnar’s old t-shirts. Her hair is wild and tangled.

Now that I’m looking for it, I can see Garnar has fresh lovebites on his neck.

This woman looks familiar to me…

Oh.

Yes. I had to write articles about her family. She’s the heiress to a local candy company, worth at least a billion dollars.

Glancing I notice an engagement ring on her hand.

Garnar smirks, “Esther, meet my fiancé, Rachel.”