“Did you read all of it?”
“Enough.”
“Whatdoes it do?”
I ran my finger down the first page.
“That is what I am trying to determine.”
He pulled out a chair.
“She said it was normal.”
I looked at the signature lines again.
“Normal for whom?”
Daniel had no answer.
I closed the folder.
The room was quiet except for the soft click of the heating system.
“I should have stopped her when she asked for the key,” he said.
I put the papers back in their exact order.
“You thought she wanted to help.”
“I did.”
“Now you know she wants more than that.”
He looked at the folder.
“Do you think she expects you to sign this?”
“I think she expects me to sign something.”
Daniel reached for the folder, then stopped.
“Should we call someone?”
“Not yet.”
I carried it upstairs.
In the nursery, two hospital bags sat open on the floor. I labeledone with Luna’s name and the other with Leo’s.
Daniel checked the straps on the car seats.
“Seven thirty,” he said. “Friday.”
“I know.”
He tightened one strap.
“What do we tell my mother?”
“Nothing about the birth until the babies are safely delivered.”
He looked toward the hall.
“She will be angry.”
“She can be angry at the door.”
Daniel almost smiled.
“That sounds like you.”
I folded two receiving blankets and placed them into Leo’s bag.
The blue folder remained downstairs.
For the first time, I did not want to know what Vivian thought I was worth.
I wanted the birth to belong to Daniel, the babies, and me.
Daniel carried the second car seat toward the stairs.
“What about the hospital room number?”
“I am not giving it to her.”
He nodded.
“And the key?”
“No.”
He reached the nursery door.
I took the silver house keyfrom my purse and looked at it once.
