Chapter 10: The Last Conversation
Eric called at four in the afternoon.
I let it go to voicemail.
He left one — three minutes long, his voice moving through several registers, starting with calm and ending somewhere close to desperate.
I listened to it once, forwarded it to Gerald, and didn't listen again.
Then he texted: *I need to see you.
Not to argue.
Just to talk.
Please.*
I typed back: *My lawyer will contact yours.
Please don't come to the hotel.*
He came to the hotel.
I heard the knock at five and knew.
I opened the door with the chain on.
"I asked you not to come," I said.
"Diane." His voice was low.
Controlled.
He'd had time to prepare.
"I just need ten minutes.
That's all.
Ten minutes and then I'll go."
"Say it through the door."
A pause.
He hadn't expected that.
"Fine," he said.
"Fine." He exhaled.
"I made mistakes.
Serious ones.
I know that.
The job — I was ashamed.
I couldn't tell you.
I kept thinking I'd find something and it would all be fine before you noticed."
"And Lauren?"
"That was wrong.
I'm not going to defend it."
"And the document."
Silence.
"Eric.
The forged document."
"I didn't think of it as—" He stopped.
Started again.
"I needed her to believe the situation was legitimate.
I wasn't trying to defraud anyone.
I was just—"
"You forged my signature on a legal document," I said.
"That's fraud.
The word for it is fraud."
"Diane—"
"My lawyer has the image.
Lauren has given a statement.
You sent a reporter a tip this morning, which tells me you're already trying to manage this publicly." I kept my voice even.
"I'm not angry, Eric.
I want you to understand that.
I'm not standing here shaking.
I'm just done."
A long silence on the other side of the door.
"The children," he said finally.
"Whatever happens between us — they need their father."
"They will have access to their father," I said.
"Through the appropriate legal arrangement.
That's not a threat.
It's just how it's going to work."
"You're really doing this."
"I really am."
Another silence.
Then, quietly: "I thought you'd fight.
Or cry.
Or — I don't know.
I didn't think you'd be like this."
"Like what?"
"Calm," he said.
"You're so calm."
"I've had three days," I said.
"And I've been doing everything alone for a long time.
Calm is what's left when you've already done the hard part by yourself."
I heard him shift his weight on the other side of the door.
"I'm sorry," he said.
And for a moment — just a moment — it sounded true.
"I know," I said.
"Goodnight, Eric."
I closed the door.
Slid the chain back into place.
Clara was watching me from the floor, plastic giraffe in hand, head tilted slightly to one side.
"It's okay, bug," I said.
She held the giraffe out to me.
May you like
An offering.
I crossed the room and sat down on the floor beside her, and took it.
