Somehow, I had.
For the next two weeks, I barely left my bedroom.
My body constantly reminded me I’d given birth.
My empty arms reminded me there was no baby to hold.
Robert cleaned things that were already spotless. Tracy handled laundry, brought food, and spent afternoons with Willie.
My son grew quiet, and I assumed he was grieving.
Standing in his room now, I realized something else was happening.
I slowly put the jar down.
“Honey, I know you miss her.”
“No.”
His face tightened.
“If I save enough, we can get her back.”
My chest tightened.
“Willie, people don’t work like that. You can’t just save money and get someone back. Claudia is with God now.”
He looked at me.
“Then why did Daddy use money?”
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.
“What money, baby?”
His gaze shifted toward the bedroom door.
Robert was downstairs. Something scraped against the kitchen sink.
“The money he gave that lady.”
I sat on the edge of Willie’s bed.
“Start at the beginning.”
He rubbed his hands against his shorts.
“The first night you were sleeping at the hospital, Grandma Tracy went to get coffee. I was trying to sleep on the chair. I was supposed to stay there.”
“Supposed to?”
He lowered his eyes.
“I went looking for Dad.”
“Where did you find him?”
“Near the elevators.”
“Was he alone?”
Willie shook his head.
“He was talking to a lady.”
“What lady?”
“I’m not sure, Mommy. Daddy gave her a thick envelope.”
My stomach tightened.
“How do you know what was inside?”
“She opened it. I saw money.”
“What happened after that?”
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