Untitled Part 17
Daisy was still little, and it was easy for her to eat the wrong thing by mistake, so even the housekeeper normally avoided using peanuts whenever possible.
If they appeared at all, it would only be in one or two dishes, set in front of Ethan.
Vanessa was being far too blatant about playing favorites.
I could hear the disappointment in Daisy's voice.
"That doesn't mean your mom doesn't love you," I said softly.
"I know."
Her voice was childish, but oddly calm.
"It's just that she loves Dad more."
I fell silent.
There was no way to argue with that.
She yawned, then mumbled sleepily,
"Next time it's my birthday, I'm going to make a wish... um... that someday there'll be someone who loves me the most."
"The person who loves Jessie most is her grandma.
The person who loves Steven most is his mom and dad.
The person who loves Zoe most is her uncle and aunt.
So who's going to love me the most someday...?"
Her voice grew softer and softer until it disappeared into the steady rhythm of breathing.
Daisy had fallen asleep.
"Good night, Daisy," I whispered.
"That person will definitely appear someday."
Though more likely than not, that person would be herself.
And honestly, I didn't think there was anything wrong with that.
If you love yourself enough, you don't have to pin all your hopes on someone else.
At the very least, you won't be disappointed.
It was a lesson I'd only just begun to understand myself.
Not long after I hung up with Daisy, Ethan came home.
There was no confrontation, none of the anger I'd braced myself for.
He lowered his eyes and undid the buttons of his overcoat.
"My mom's sick. Want to go see her with me tomorrow?"
Ethan's mother had always treated me fairly.
Better than fairly, really—much like his sister had.
I nodded.
"Okay."
Then I thought of the divorce settlement papers I'd only half finished drafting.
"Do you want to look over it and see if there's anything we should add—"
"I have an urgent video meeting right now."
He glanced at his watch as if he hadn't heard a word I'd said.
"I'll be working in the study late tonight. I'll sleep in the guest room when I'm done. Go ahead and get some rest. Don't wait up."
With that, he turned and went straight into the study.
I hesitated for a moment, but didn't follow.
I'd wait until the papers were finished, then show them to him.
The next day was Saturday.
Ethan and I drove to his family's house that morning.
By the afternoon, it had started raining, and it never really let up.
Naturally, his mother insisted we stay the night.
I was still wavering when Ethan agreed for both of us.
At dinner, he said something in an offhand tone.
So offhand, in fact, that I didn't even process it at first.
"I'm going to make my marriage to Claire public at the company."
He sounded casual, like he was announcing something trivial, something that had nothing to do with either of us.
Ethan's mother smiled and nodded.
"It's about time."