The gala ended early. There was no way to recover the evening after that, and Ethan didn’t try. He excused himself from the stage, handed the microphone to a startled event coordinator, and asked if we could talk somewhere private.
We went to a small conference room on the second floor. Noah and Sophie sat on either side of me. Ethan sat across from us. Margaret stood by the door, silent for once.
« I want to know everything, » Ethan said. « Where you’ve been. What you’ve done. What they’re like. »
« That’s not how this works, » I said. « You don’t get to skip the last ten years and start from here. »
« Then tell me what to do. »
« I don’t know what to tell you, » I said. « I didn’t come here to punish you. I came here because my children deserve to know their father exists, and because you deserve to know they exist. What happens next is up to them. »
Noah spoke first.
« I have questions, » he said.
Ethan nodded.
« Ask me anything. »
« Why did you throw money at Mom? »
Ethan was quiet for a moment.
« Because I was young and stupid and scared, » he said. « And because my mother told me it was the right thing to do. »
Margaret flinched.
« That’s not an excuse, » Ethan said quickly. « It’s just the truth. I was afraid of being a husband. I was afraid of being a father. And I let that fear make a decision that I’ve regretted every single day for ten years. »
Noah considered this.
« Okay, » he said. « That’s a start. »
Sophie asked the next question.
« Do you want to know us? »
Ethan’s voice broke.
« More than anything. »
She looked at me. Then back at him.
« Then you have to earn it, » she said. « That’s what Mom says about everything. You have to earn it. »
Ethan nodded.
« I will, » he said. « I’ll spend the rest of my life earning it if that’s what it takes. »
See more on the next page