Chapter 3

Allyson stepped between Francis and me to smooth things over.

"Francis doesn't feel well today. Don't make it harder on him."

She reached out, wrapped an arm around my back, and started steering me toward the door.

"Go on, go back to your experiment. Joe's here to look after him, don't worry."

Nausea rolled through my stomach. I shoved her arm off, irritated.

"Don't touch me."

She froze, clearly caught off guard that I'd actually raised my voice. I was even-tempered by nature. I almost never lost my temper.

Francis was startled by my outburst and burst into tears.

Joe soothed him with false concern. "Steve, you're scaring him. If you're upset, take it out on me instead. He's just a kid, he's innocent. Don't take it out on him, okay?"

There was only one thought looping in my head as I watched Francis cry. I asked him, "Who's your dad?"

I'd braced myself a hundred times over, telling myself that as long as he didn't call Joe "Dad," I could forgive him. I'd take him with me when the divorce went through.

But instead, Francis sobbed out an accusation at me.

"You're my dad, and Papa Joe is my dad too.

"I like him. He's good to me. He looks after me and teaches me kickboxing.

"Not like you. All you care about is your experiments. Papa Joe is so much better than you!"

It felt like I'd been struck by lightning. My eyes stung and blurred with tears.

Allyson dragged me outside and snapped at me.

"Why are you taking it out on our son? What does a little kid even understand? You don't need to worry about this. Go back to your experiment!"

With that, she turned and went back into the hospital room, locking the door behind her so I couldn't get back in and cause more trouble.

That night, my mother-in-law, Erica Fowler, came to talk some sense into me.

"Steve, you're a good man. A good son-in-law. I've always thought so."

She held my hand and patted the back of it gently, her tone softening.

"Every woman cheats sometimes. The good ones just hide it better, that's all. This time, it just got found out.

"Allyson still cares about you, deep down. And Joe, well, he can help take care of her, and of Francis too.

"Honestly, if you'd just loosen up a little, you'd see this is actually a good thing. You wouldn't have to spend time with Allyson, or take care of Francis. You could just focus on your research. Isn't that wonderful?"

My heart turned colder than it had ever been. I felt nothing anymore. I quietly pulled my hand free.

"Fine. I won't interfere with them from now on."

Relief lit up Erica's face. She thought she'd talked some sense into me, and she laughed.

"Then I'll have the room next to yours made up for Joe. Once he moves in, it'll be easier for Francis to keep up with his kickboxing lessons, and he can help share the load of looking after the two of them."

When I didn't say anything, Erica took my silence as agreement.

She was so pleased she couldn't stop smiling, and she patted me on the back.

"I knew it. You really are a reasonable, good man."

Delighted with herself, she immediately had the maid get the room next to mine ready.

Without a hint of shame, she called Joe right then and there.

"Joe, you can move in tonight; the room's already ready.

"It's almost Christmas anyway. Might as well get settled in early so the house feels lively. Once you're living here, at least I'll have someone to talk to and keep me company."