Chapter 2: Madison
“Give me the phone, Luke.””
My voice sounded unfamiliar.
Too calm.
Luke slipped the phone into his pocket.
“Claire, please.””
“Who is Madison?””
He looked toward the nurses.
“Can we talk privately?””
“No.””
“Claire.””
“You wanted everyone to hear that Eli was jealous. Let everyone hear the explanation.””
The older nurse folded her arms.
“Sir, I think you should answer her.””
Luke stared at her.
“This is my family.””
“And that's your wife,” she replied.
He looked back at me.
For a moment, I thought he might finally tell me everything.
Then he smiled.
It was the same smile he had given me months ago when I worried about the pregnancy.
The same smile he used whenever he wanted me to doubt myself.
“You're scared,” he said.
“I am.””
“You're exhausted.””
“I am.””
“You just gave birth.””
“Yes.””
“So trust me.””
I stared at him.
“No.””
The smile disappeared.
Behind him, Eli whispered, “Mommy.””
I turned.
He was crying again.
Not loudly this time.
Just silently.
“Come here.””
He rushed to my bedside.
I reached out, and he carefully took my hand.
His little fingers were freezing.
“I tried to tell them,” he whispered.
“I know.””
“Dad told me not to tell you.””
My eyes lifted.
“When?””
“Before you woke up.””
“What did he say?””
Eli looked over his shoulder.
Luke's face was hard.
“He said if I told you, you'd be sad.””
I squeezed Eli's hand.
“Did he say anything else?””
“He said June was sick.””
Luke's expression changed.
I looked at him.
“You told my son our daughter was sick?””
“I was trying to protect him.””
“From what?””
“From the situation.””
“What situation?””
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
The nurse beside me suddenly spoke.
“Mrs. Mercer, I'd like to check the baby's identification band.””
Luke turned sharply.
“Why?””
“Because there appears to be a discrepancy.””
He stepped toward her.
“There is no discrepancy.””
“You just said that your son was confused.””
“I did.””
“Then checking the band should settle it.””
Luke stared at her.
His silence was answer enough.
She took the baby to the warmer and examined the identification bracelet.
I watched every movement.
She checked the number.
Then the baby's wrist.
Then the paperwork.
Her forehead creased.
“What's wrong?”” I asked.
She looked at me.
“The bracelet number matches the chart.””
Relief flickered through Luke's face.
Then she continued.
“But the electronic record shows a different temporary identification number was assigned during delivery.””
My blood ran cold.
“What does that mean?””
“It means I need to verify which number belongs to your infant.””
Luke stepped forward.
“I'll call the nurse manager.””
The nurse blocked him with one hand.
“I'll do that.””
Luke's phone buzzed again.
He ignored it.
Then it buzzed again.
Eli looked at him.
“Dad.””
Luke stared at his son.
“What?””
“You said she wouldn't text until tomorrow.””
The room froze.
I slowly turned toward Luke.
“Who?””
Eli's eyes widened.
He had realized he had said too much.
Luke whispered, “Eli.””
I felt something inside me break.
“Who is texting you?””
Nobody answered.
I reached for the nurse call button.
Luke grabbed my wrist.
Not hard.
But hard enough.
“Don't.””
I stared at his hand.
He immediately released me.
The nurse moved between us.
“Sir, step back.””
Luke obeyed.
For the first time, I noticed how carefully he had been controlling the room.
What people saw.
What people heard.
What they believed.
But he couldn't control Eli.
Not anymore.
I turned toward my stepson.
“Eli, tell me about Madison.””
His lower lip trembled.
“Dad knows her.””
“How?””
“She comes to our house sometimes.””
Luke shut his eyes.
I felt the air leave my lungs.
“What?””
“She came when you were sleeping.””
“When?””
“Sometimes at night.””
I looked at Luke.
“You brought another woman into our house?””
“No.””
Eli shook his head.
“Yes.””
Luke snapped, “Eli!””
The boy recoiled.
I pulled him closer.
“Don't yell at him.””
Luke looked furious.
Then frightened again.
I noticed the nurse watching him carefully.
“Eli,” I said, “what does Madison look like?””
“She has blonde hair.””
My stomach twisted.
Luke's former wife was blonde.
His ex-wife.
The woman he'd always told me was completely out of his life.
The woman named Rachel.
I had never met her.
She had supposedly moved three states away.
“Is she tall?”” I asked.
Eli nodded.
“Does she wear glasses?””
“No.””
“Does she have a tattoo?””
He thought.
“On her wrist.””
My heart sank.
Rachel had a small crescent tattoo on her wrist.
Luke had told me about it years ago.
Before our marriage.
I looked at him.
“Is Madison Rachel?””
He didn't answer.
That was when the nurse manager entered.
She was holding a tablet.
“Mrs. Mercer?””
“Yes?””
“I need to ask you something.””
Her eyes shifted toward Luke.
“Did your husband ever tell you that another mother delivered a baby tonight?””
Luke went completely still.
I stared at her.
“What?””
She lowered the tablet.
“There were two emergency C-sections within eleven minutes of each other.””
My mouth went dry.
“One was yours.””
“And the other?””
“A woman named Madison Hale.””
Luke's face became white.
I whispered, “Hale?””
The nurse nodded.
Then she said the sentence that changed everything.
“Mrs. Hale's baby is missing.””
Luke's phone buzzed one more time.
This time, the screen lit up on the floor where he'd dropped it.
A message appeared.
*You promised me my baby would come home tonight.*
Eli looked at me.
“That's what Dad promised her.””
And then the door opened.
A woman stood in the hallway.
Blonde hair.
Green bag.
Crescent tattoo.
She looked directly at Luke.
Then at the baby in the nurse's arms.
May you like
And screamed,
“That is my daughter.””
