Chapter 3 - I Went to My Sister’s House
I did not go home with Wesley.
I drove to my older sister Claire’s house.
Forty minutes away.
Wesley followed in his own car until I called and told him to stop.
“I need space.”
“Nora, June is my daughter too.”
“Yes.”
“Then I need to know where she is.”
“You know. Claire’s.”
“I want to see her.”
“Tomorrow.”
He hesitated.
Then:
“Okay.”
That was the first useful thing he did.
No threat.
No police.
No:
You can’t take my baby.
We were married.
Both legal parents.
I was not disappearing.
I needed one night.
Claire opened the door wearing sweatpants and an expression that changed the moment she saw my face.
“What happened?”
I handed her the velvet box.
She opened it.
Then said:
“I’m going to prison.”
“No.”
“She put this on you?”
“No.”
“June?”
“She tried the smaller one.”
Claire stopped.
“What?”
June started crying.
Again:
baby first.
We fed her.
Changed diaper.
Dimmed lights.
Claire’s anger had to wait.
Mine too.
At midnight, June finally slept in the bassinet Claire borrowed from a neighbor.
I sat on the guest-room floor.
The adult collar remained on the dresser.
I hated looking at it.
Could not put it away.
Claire asked:
“What did Wesley do?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s not literally true.”
“He stood there.”
“Before?”
“He knew Margaret planned a collar joke.”
Claire stared.
“He knew.”
“Yes.”
“And did not tell you.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He thought she wouldn’t do it.”
Claire sat beside me.
“Do you want divorce?”
“I don’t know.”
True.
I knew I wanted Margaret away from June.
I knew I was furious with Wesley.
I knew I had slapped an older woman while holding my newborn.
None of that automatically answered:
marriage.
At 1:17 a.m. Wesley texted:
I am sorry. I failed you both today. I will not come over unless you ask.
Better.
Then another:
Mom is saying you assaulted her. If police contact us I’ll tell them exactly what happened, including the collars.
Also better.
Then:
I should have warned you.
There.
No “but.”
May you like
I did not answer.
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