Page 30 of The Devil Goes to Washington

“You never finished college?”

“Ha! How was I supposed to do that and pay for the months Micah was in the NICU?”

“I didn’t know.”

“Look, I’m glad you reached all of your dreams and you get to look down on us from that lovely tower. But life has been hard on the other side of the tracks. I’ve scrimped and saved and failed. So many times. And I’m so fucking tired of the struggle.”

“You’re here now. You can rest until you get back on your feet.”

“You haven’t been around. You don’t know how I spend my days. I homeschool Micah and work on the business part of the designs. At night after he goes to sleep, I sew until the fabric starts to blur.”

“What about a nanny or tutor to help?”

“I can’t afford that. Even if I could, I want to spend every moment with Micah that I’m not working or sleeping. Every trip to the ER reminds me that any day could be his last.”

“The dedication you have to each other is enviable. I like to think we were like that once.”

“Even if we did, it’s different with a child. Wait, where did you see us? Surveillance. Of course. I should have known.”

“If it makes you feel any better, the nanny-cam Banner put in the bear is how they knew Micah was sick. It wasn’t on my instruction, but I confess I did watch last night.” He showed her a screenshot he had taken of them snuggled together, talking. “Why didn’t I see it sooner?” He opened the photo app on his phone.

“What would that be?”

“There’s no doubt he’s got your hair and smile. But when you put these pictures side by side,” he explained, moving the photos on his phone. “You see? The nose, eyes, even the shape of his face. He’s a mini-me.”

“I don’t see it,” she replied without looking at his screen.

“Same congenital heart defect.” He stabbed his finger at the binder.

“I seem to recall that there are several variations.”

“If you had been with only me before the accident, then the math says that Micah is my child!” Flipping through the folders again, he held up Micah’s birth certificate.

“There are a lot of variables to that theory, Mr. Harding. Maybe Micah was premature?”

“Then it would be in your very thorough health summary for him. I understand why you didn’t tell me in the past. We’ve been over what a belligerent ass I was. But why deny it now?”

“Excuse me, but aren’t you the man who has been trying to prove that I was scheming to get more money out of you? You should call Heath. He’d be delighted to make good on some of those threats to crush me so hard there would be no coming back. I’m paraphrasing, of course.”

“I’m not going to let him, or anyone, hurt you or Micah.”

“No, you’re just going to take him away from me forever. That’s the same as being obliterated.”

“I promise I won’t bring any legal proceedings. Please give me a chance and introduce me to him.”

“As his father? Ah, no. Look at it from his perspective. He was so excited that his mom was getting married so he would finally have a dad. But that man was as absent to him as his real dad. When did you last see or talk to Micah?”

“I was trying to keep my distance from you but, inadvertently, I avoided him also.”

“It doesn’t inspire confidence that you still don’t trust me.”

“A lot has changed in twenty-four hours. Let me catch up. But it wasn’t because of that anyway. It was to prevent activities like what happened in the car.”

“What hap- Oh!”

“Just because I have trouble resisting you, doesn’t mean I don’t want to get to know you both.”

“If that’s what you really want, spend some time with him. Apologize, as his new dad, for not being around. Make up some excuse about traveling and then tell him outrageous stories about your travels. Get to know what he likes.”