Another adult leaving.
After hospitals.
Needles.
Fear.
Nathan took a breath.
"Daniel."
Daniel looked at him.
"Stay for dinner."
Everyone froze.
Claire stared.
Daniel's eyebrows rose.
Nathan immediately added, "This isn't forgiveness."
Daniel nodded.
"I know."
"And we're going to talk."
"Absolutely."
Nathan looked at Eli.
"But nobody is disappearing tonight."
The boy relaxed.
"Okay."
That evening was one of the strangest meals Nathan had ever eaten.
Eli talked almost constantly.
Hospital stories.
School.
Daniel's terrible attempts at video games.
Claire's inability to cook rice properly.
Nathan smiled at the right moments.
But inside, his mind remained fractured.
He looked at Eli differently now.
He hated himself for it.
Every feature became evidence.
The ears.
Matt's ears?
The smile.
Was that Matt?
The way Eli raised one eyebrow.
Had Matt done that?
Nathan caught himself searching for his own face in the child.
Then he became angry because he had never done that before.
Eli had simply been Eli.
Now biology had turned the boy into a puzzle.
Nathan pushed the thought away.
After dinner, Daniel left.
At the door, Eli hugged him.
Nathan watched.
It hurt.
Daniel whispered something to the boy.
Then looked at Nathan.
"Goodnight."
Nathan nodded.
"Night."
Claire put Eli to bed.
Nathan remained in the kitchen.
The blue pickup disappeared down the street.
A half hour later, Claire returned.
Nathan sat at the table.
His wedding ring lay in front of him.
Claire saw it.
Her face crumpled.
"Nathan."
He stared at the ring.
"I took this off once."
She sat across from him.
"During survival training."
He turned it between his fingers.
"They made us remove everything."
Claire said nothing.
"I hated it."
He looked at her.
"I remember thinking it felt wrong."
She cried quietly.
Nathan continued.
"Nine years."
"I know."
"You watched me teach him to ride a bike."
"Yes."
"His first day of school."
"Yes."
"Every Father's Day."
Claire covered her face.
Nathan's voice cracked.
"Every time somebody said he looked like me."
"I know."
"Did you ever think about Matt?"
She nodded.
Nathan closed his eyes.
"Every time?"
"No."
"Sometimes?"
"Yes."
He looked away.
Claire whispered, "Mostly when Eli was a baby."
Nathan said nothing.
"I would look at him and wonder."
"And then?"
"Then I stopped."
"How?"
"Because you were his dad."
Nathan's jaw tightened.
"That doesn't erase what you did."
"No."
"It doesn't erase the lie."
"No."
"Why didn't you test him?"
Claire answered instantly.
"Because I was afraid."
"That he wasn't mine."
"Yes."
Nathan looked at her.
"Or afraid I'd leave."
Claire hesitated.
"Both."
There it was.
Nathan stood and walked toward the sink.
Claire remained seated.
"I loved you."