If I waited, I would talk myself out of it.
What if she slammed the door?
What if she didn't know he was dead?
What if she hated me?
I parked in front of a modest blue house with white shutters. Then I walked up to the door and knocked. Footsteps approached. When the door opened, my breath left my body.
Caroline stood there. She wasn't a stranger, but the woman who used to live three houses down from Daniel and me before disappearing! She'd brought over banana bread when Emma was born.
She wasn't a stranger.
The moment she saw me, her face drained of color.
"Claire," she whispered.
Behind her, a little girl peeked around her leg.
She had dark hair and Daniel's eyes.
My knees nearly buckled.
"You," I said hoarsely.
Caroline's eyes filled with tears. "Where's Daniel?"
"You."
"He died, but he left me a responsibility."
"I never meant to destroy your family," Caroline whispered.
"You asked him to leave us."
Her shoulders shook. "Yes. I loved him."
"The feeling wasn't mutual."
The honesty hit harder than denial would have.
"You asked him to leave us."
"He knew he was dying," I said. "That's why he told me. He didn't want your daughter left with nothing."
Caroline nodded. "The payments stopped last month. I figured something had happened."
"They'll restart," I said honestly. "But that doesn't mean we're family."
Caroline looked at me in shock.
"I'm angry," I continued. "I don't know how long I'll be angry. But Ava didn't do anything wrong. And now," I added, "I'm choosing what kind of person I want to be."
The words surprised even me.
