Chapter 2

The next morning, laughter from the kitchen woke me.

Adrian stood at the stove with his sleeves rolled up. Victoria sat at the counter, sipping coffee as he slid eggs and bacon onto her plate.

He had learned to make breakfast because I often forgot to eat before work. On busy mornings, he used to read reports from his men while keeping an eye on my eggs.

I reached for a slice of toast.

“There's more bread,” he said. “Have something before you leave.”

I glanced at Victoria's plate.

“You remember I don't eat bacon.”

“I know. There wasn't time to make anything else. Just have some toast.”

Victoria laughed over her coffee.

“Still so picky, Evelyn? Mom never used to put up with that.”

She took a bite of bacon and smiled at Adrian.

“You've gotten good at this. Looks like she trained you well while I was gone.”

He pushed the plate closer to her.

“Eat before it gets cold.”

I finished my toast and picked up my coat.

“Lily has her school field day today. You two can take her.”

I'd promised to run the parent-child relay with her. For two weeks, we'd practiced at home, Lily racing toward me with her little baton.

“Was I faster that time, Mommy?”

Adrian relaxed.

“All right. Victoria wanted to see her school anyway. I'll take them both.”

“Her running shoes are by the door. Make sure she has them.”

I wouldn't make Lily responsible for what was happening between us. But I was no longer going to organize everything so Adrian could take my presence for granted.

At the architecture firm, my assistant looked up in surprise.

“Weren't you taking the day off for your daughter's field day?”

“My plans changed.”

I'd moved client meetings to keep the day free. Now I opened the drawings on my desk and went through the revisions waiting for me.

That afternoon, Victoria posted a photograph on Instagram.

She and Adrian wore matching shirts with Lily's school logo. Lily stood between them, a gold medal around her neck, kissing Victoria's cheek.

The caption read:

Five years of missed moments, finally made up for. Thank you, Adrian.

Five years, made up for in a morning.

The captains and allied families who followed her account knew I was Adrian's wife. So did Victoria. She'd posted it anyway.

I closed Instagram and checked my calendar.

Two days left.

Then I put my phone aside and went back to the drawings.

When I returned to the estate that evening, Adrian was in the kitchen again.

“Evelyn, you're home.”

He looked up, a spatula in his hand.

“Victoria wanted seafood tonight. I've made garlic butter lobster.”

Crab and shrimp covered the table beside it.

Only last week, I'd come home from the hospital with medication for my seafood allergy. Adrian had been there when the doctor told me what to avoid.

I stopped beside the table.

“Adrian, have you forgotten something?”