That’s when the Uber pulls into the driveway.
The driver leans out.
"Password: Summer?"
"Yes, that’s me."
Lake grabs my hand, his eyes begging.
"Please don’t do this. Please don’t leave. I can feel it, with my whole heart, that you two belong together. From the moment you came here, I knew you were the one for my son. It’syou. I swear it’s you."
I look away. For a second I hesitate. Then I ask him the question that matters to me most, the one I still don’t know the answer to.
"Do you know what Theo’s plans are for the baby?"
Lake stiffens slightly, almost imperceptibly. He stares at me for a moment, as if it’s slowly sinking in that my reasons for leaving aren’t just because we’re not True Mates. His face falls.
"Yes, I know. On the day he gives birth, Snow and I are going to the hospital to take the babies."
"Babies? Plural?"
I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
Lake swallows hard, and I realize how uncomfortable he is right now.
"Yes. Theo called me yesterday to tell us he’d been to an appointment. They’re twins."
A bitter laugh escapes me. "So he’s getting a ready-made family. Two kids right from the start…"
Lake looks away, clearly uneasy.
The Uber driver is starting to look impatient.
"Children… adopted children… are a blessing. We adopted Nathaniel—"
I cut him off. "Why doesn’t Theo want them?"
Lake lowers his head. "Theo’s husband, Tim Kellan, won the electionyesterday. He’s a public figure now. They don’t want this to affect their image, the fact that Theo gave birth to another man’s children. So we decided to take the babies ourselves."
"So are you getting in or not?!" the Uber driver snaps.
I look back at Lake.
"It’s kind of you to take the babies, to give them a family. It’s a noble gesture. But I wouldn’t say the same about Theo. He’s giving up his own children?"
Lake speaks softly. "Theo and Tim already have five other kids. The youngest is just four years old, and their lives are about to change dramatically because of Tim’s political career…"
"Well, I wish them luck," I mutter bitterly. "And you too," I add, more softly now. "Once again, thank you for everything you’ve done for me. You’re truly… an incredible person… anyone would be lucky to have a dad-in-law like you," I blurt out, my voice breaking again.
Lake stays silent. Tears flow down his face. I turn and climb into the car as the Uber driver lets out an impatient sigh.
"We should go. Traffic to the airport is murder at this hour!" he grumbles.
I say nothing.
As we pull away, I look back and see Lake standing alone on the driveway, a slender, solitary figure.
Then it hits me, a thought that feels almost random: this one man has brought eight people into the world and adopted one more child. Where did he find so much love and kindness in his heart? What about me? Couldn’t I find it too?
