Chapter 4: What Lauren Knew
She didn't wait for me to respond.
"He told me you were separated," she said.
"Eight months ago.
He showed me paperwork.
He said you were living separately, that you'd agreed to divorce after the babies turned one, and that the trip was just — he said it was a family obligation.
That he had to bring you because of the custody arrangement."
I kept my face very still.
"He showed you paperwork."
"A separation agreement.
With your signature on it."
"I've never signed anything."
She closed her eyes.
When she opened them, something had shifted.
"I was afraid of that," she said quietly.
One of the babies — Noah — started fussing.
I lifted him without thinking, settled him against my shoulder, and kept my eyes on Lauren.
"How long?" I said.
"Eight months." She looked at her hands.
"He said he loved me.
He said as soon as the divorce was finalized, we were going to—" She stopped.
"He booked this trip for us.
Said it was a fresh start.
I didn't know you'd be on the plane.
I didn't know any of this."
"The hotel reservation," I said.
"I found it three days ago."
She looked up.
"He told me he'd sorted the rooms.
That you'd be in a separate part of the resort."
"He booked himself an oceanfront suite with my money," I said.
"He put me and three babies in a standard room."
Lauren stared at me.
Then she reached into her bag and pulled out her phone.
She turned it toward me.
It was a text from Eric.
Sent two days ago.
*Everything's arranged.
You're in the suite.
She won't be a problem.
Just don't come to the gate until after we've boarded.*
I read it twice.
Then I looked up at her.
"He planned this," I said.
"He was going to have both of us at the same resort."
"In different rooms," she said.
"He told me you knew.
That it was a — a transitional arrangement."
"And you believed him."
She didn't answer immediately.
Then: "I wanted to.
That's the honest answer.
I wanted to believe him." She put the phone back in her bag.
"I saw his face when you said my name.
That's when I knew."
Noah had fallen back asleep.
I shifted him gently.
"The card he's trying to use," I said.
"It's linked to my savings account.
He can't access it without my approval."
Lauren was quiet for a moment.
"He's going to be furious."
"Yes."
"What are you going to do?"
I looked toward the front of the plane.
The curtain was still.
Somewhere behind it, Eric was sitting in a wide seat with a drink he hadn't paid for, trying to figure out how to recover.
"I'm going to land," I said.
"And then I'm going to make some calls."
Lauren nodded slowly.
She started to stand.
"Lauren." She paused.
"Whatever he told you — you're not the villain in this."
She looked at me for a long moment.
Her eyes were wet.
"Neither are you," she said.
She went back to her seat.
I looked out the small oval window at the clouds below, white and flat and endless.
My phone buzzed.
A text from an unknown number.
*This is Eric's mother.
I need you to call me before you land.
May you like
It's about the account.
There's something you don't know.*
