“Listen, please.” I squeeze the back of my neck, trying to relieve the tension. When it doesn't immediately help, I drop my hand and say “I did the surgery, but something was bothering me. Afterwards I took another look at the patient’s file.” I keep my eyes on Jenna, because she deserves that much. Her chest rises slowly, she holds her breath for a long time, then slowly releases it. I think she knows what I’m about tosay.
“So?” she asks, her voiceshaky.
“Her birthday is nine months after the night I spent with this woman. The little girl is mydaughter.”
Jenna shakes her head vehemently. “It doesn’t have to mean that. It could be anybody. It doesn’t have to be yours.” Her breath draws in faster now, her chestheaving.
I despise what I’m doing to her. I’ve never seen Jenna anything less than poised. Her composure means everything toher.
“She’s mine, Jenna. I confirmedit.”
“How?” She bangs a fist onto herknee.
“Last night I went to seeAubrey.”
Jenna’s face pales. “The mother is Aubrey? Or the little girl? Where did you seeher?”
“Aubrey is Claire’s mother.” I pause, letting Jenna have her reaction. She turns her head to the side like she wants to besick.
I forge ahead. “I went to their house. The file listed their homeaddress.”
Jenna sets her eyes back on me. “While I was flying here to get to you, you were going to see your…your…babymama?”
For a second I want to laugh. The wordsbaby mamaare so out of place coming from Jenna’s mouth. The feeling diesfast.
“I needed to know for sure. I was already certain, but I needed to hear Aubrey sayit.”
“And shedid?”
Inod.
“Well…uh…well,” She falters for words, another thing that’s very un-Jenna like. “She’s probably lying. She’s just found out her one night stand is a successful doctor and wants childsupport.”
“Aubrey’s not like that.” I hear the defensiveness in my voice, and I know it’s only going to make thisworse.
“Oh, really? How would you know?” Jenna stands. She crosses the living room, taking care to walk on the far side of the coffee table, away fromme.
I’m up too, following her. She goes into the kitchen and opens the fridge, pushing stuff aside angrily. She slams the door shut, nothing in her hands. After moving on to the pantry, she stands in front of it, door open, fists balled at hersides.
“Aubrey didn’t want to tell me about Claire. I think she would have preferred if I didn’t know. She doesn’t know me, and she doesn’t know how I’m going to impact Claire’s life. She’s scared too.” I walk to the open pantry door and stand behind Jenna. Her shoulders are lifted and tense, and I can’t see her face. “Jenna, please. This is news toeverybody—”
“Everybody except Aubrey.” She whirls around. “Was she just saving this ace in her back pocket for the righttime?”
“No, no, not at all.” I rub my eyes, trying to figure out how to explain this to Jenna. “When Aubrey found out she was pregnant, she couldn’t tell me. It happened right before I left for Africa. And…” I hesitate, embarrassment coming over me. “We didn’t exchange a whole lot of information about each other that night. Including last names.” My neck feelshot.
Jenna’s jaw drops a few inches. “You had sex with someone whose last name you did notknow?”
I don’t say anything. I don’t appreciate being judged, but right now isn’t the time to point thatout.
“Don’t get hung up on that. It was a long timeago.”
“Isaac—”
“Just understand, please. You’re not perfect.” But isn’t she? Never a hair out of place. I’m not even allowed to touch her hair after a certain time of day. Does she have a fault? I’m not so sure. We never fight. Ever. Except right now. And it’s not even a real fight. I’m basically just tossing shocking information at her, the equivalent of cold water, and telling her to deal withit.
She takes a deep breath. “OK. What now?” Her voice has returned to a normal volume, but the stress she’s feeling strainsit.
“I’m going to see Claire this afternoon. Aubrey said I could comeover.”
