Mark closed his eyes.
The parking garage seemed too bright.
“I didn’t know.”
“You chose not to know.”
The words landed softly, but they struck deep.
He leaned against the car.
“Did she say where she was going?”
“No.”
“Mom, I need to find my family.”
Diane was quiet for a long moment.
“Then start by admitting what happened.”
“I missed the surgery.”
“You missed four days.”
He had no answer.
“And, Mark?”
“What?”
“Madison called the house yesterday.”
His blood chilled.
“What?”
“She said she was worried because you seemed ‘distracted after the luncheon.’ She asked whether Emily had calmed down.”
Mark pressed his lips together.
Diane let out a small, bitter laugh.
“Your wife almost died giving birth to your daughters, and that woman thought Emily needed to calm down.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“Then what was it like?”
He looked across the garage at the gray concrete wall.
