"That's interesting."
"James."
"You were afraid of losing me, so you hid something that could destroy us."
She cried.
"I thought you would hate me."
"I don't know what I feel yet."
That was the honest answer.
Sarah looked at him.
"That's fair."
He studied her.
"Who is the father?"
Sarah became still.
James waited.
"His name was Marcus."
The name meant nothing.
"Was?"
Sarah nodded.
"He died."
James looked at Noah.
"What happened?"
"He was killed in an accident."
"When?"
"Nine months ago."
James looked away.
Nine months.
Before Noah was born.
Before everything.
"Did you know him?"
Sarah hesitated.
James saw it.
"Sarah."
"Yes."
The room became colder.
"How?"
She sat across from him.
"Marcus was part of a military support program."
James frowned.
"So?"
"So he worked with families of deployed soldiers."
James stared.
"Families?"
Sarah nodded.
"He helped spouses during long deployments."
James felt something twist.
"Mine?"
"No."
"Then why?"
Sarah took a breath.
"Because I was struggling."
The sentence landed harder than he expected.
"Struggling?"
"James, you were gone."
"I know."
"You were gone for three years."
"I know."
"I was alone."
He looked at her.
"That's what marriage is."
Sarah looked down.
"I know."
The words were quiet.
Not defensive.
Just broken.
James leaned back.
"Did you love him?"
Sarah cried.
"No."
"Did you?"
"No."
"Then what?"
Sarah looked toward Noah.
"He was helping me."
James followed her eyes.
"Helping you become a mother?"
"No."
She shook her head.
"Helping me survive."
James said nothing.
Sarah continued.
"When Marcus died, I found out he had left something in his will."
"What?"
"He named Noah."
James frowned.
"Why would he name your child?"
Sarah looked at him.
"Because Noah is not his son."
James froze.
"What?"
Sarah's face collapsed.
"Marcus was Noah's uncle."
James stared.
The room went silent.
"His uncle?"
"Yes."
"Then why were you holding him?"
Sarah looked at the crib.
"Because his mother died."
James felt the anger shift.
Not disappear.
Shift.
"Who is his mother?"
"My sister."
James blinked.
"Your sister?"
Sarah nodded.
"Emily."
James remembered.
Sarah's younger sister.
The one he met only a few times.
The one who moved away years ago.
"She had a baby?"
"Yes."
"And she died?"