I shed my coat, folding it over my arm, and sit in the wingback across from her.
Her throat grows tight as she swallows. Lines burrow into the skin around her lips as they grow taut. She’s hesitant to say something. And that’s alsounexpected.
“It’s always a pleasure to meet with the president of Northview. What is this about?”
“I wanted us alone because I wanted to protect you from embarrassment. Because this isn’tyourfault, Apollo. None of this is. In fact…” she trails off and nods slowly, as if gathering the strength to confess something that could hurt me. “In fact, this ismine. I was the one who looked over the personality tests and chose poorly in your appointed. And now? You’re married. I appreciate you taking your wife to theOmegaparty. For performing the cathedral wedding. Showing how well you’re doing on the soccer fields as a couple. We do want you to attend more events in the future.”
She ends her speech with a clear contradiction.
“But?”
“However, it’s come to my attention that your wife has…fakedher pregnancy.”
Despite my sweater. And the button-down beneath it. And my wool slacks. And socks. Cold floods my chest. I can’t even form a response.
“Yes, I’m afraid it’s true. We had the opportunity to test her blood and then urine. And it’s impossible for her to be pregnant at this time.”
“I see.” Did they take samples from the hospital?
The president rises from her seat, comes around to the front of her solid walnut desk, and leans a hip against it. Leaning over, she pats my hand like I’m a child. “I’m so sorry to break this news to you. Because I think you wish to do the right thing, Apollo. I don’t blame you for this. Not at all. It’s only more evidence of how sick your wife has become.”
Breathless, mind reeling, I whisper, “Sick.”
“And paranoid. We don’t believe she’sfakingit to herself. We think she genuinely believes herself to be pregnant.” She straightens up and waves toward the papers on her desk. “But she’s not.”
Her words strike me with a bolt of shock. My head’s hanging, hands reaching through my hair and messing it all up. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’m so sorry, Apollo. But there’s hope. My colleagues at Northview University Wellness Center think we can get her better. Perhaps in just a month’s stay.”
I whip my head up and narrow my eyes.
“Or less. Maybe more… Depending on how she’s doing. But we need to act fast.”
“Wellness… The psychiatric ward?”
President Damon ignores me and returns to her chair. “We have advanced therapies we’re testing. Scout Griffin will be the pioneer of the new center. A revolutionary. She’ll emerge stronger. A better wife for you. A mother for the next generation of Nighthawks. Most importantly…she’ll be an obedient daughter of the Seven.”
My mouth goes dry as a million thoughts whizz through my mind.
“Imagine it. You’ll manage Griffin Motors as CEO after your father retires.” She shrugs. “Or perhaps you’re given a higher position, such as leading aninternationalautomaker business. Right after graduation. A custom home on the south side of the city. And Scout? She’d easily gain acceptance to NU’s medical college. Go on to be a surgeon working for our own centers. Performingprocedures. Inserting permanent wellness biometric markers.” As if she’sthrowing me a glimpse of her future plan, she mutters, “Perhaps she’ll even be the one to expand Wellness Centers and the procedures across the nation. Maybe even the world.”
I go still. Especially when her eyes lift to mine as she states, “For the Seven.”
I raise my eyebrows, envisioning everything she’s saying. It’s so suffocating, I almost can’t speak. “I can see that…”
President Damon’s face relaxes into a broad, professional grin. “She’d love it, wouldn’t she?”
But it’s not a question.
Sweat pours off my forehead until I swipe at it with the back of my sleeve. “Sorry, I need a minute here.” I pace in front of the fireplace, sipping deep inhales to steady my pounding heart.
It hurts. Thinking of Scout the way she sees her.
The car incident. Her sliced arm. The lollipop that wasn’t there when I arrived. And the glow on her face when she announced she was pregnant.
I hate this. And I hate what I’m about to do.
But Ihaveto.
