Chapter 7: The Conversation Victoria Wasn't Ready For
Marcus knocked twice before opening Victoria's door.
She was sitting at the edge of the bed, still in the gray suit jacket, her shoes still on.
She hadn't moved to change or lie down.
She was simply sitting with her hands folded in her lap, looking at the middle distance, as if she had been waiting and wasn't sure for what.
Marcus sat in the chair near the window.
Marcus: I spoke to Dr.
Reid.
Victoria: And?
Marcus: Leo needs a follow-up scan in four weeks.
What Elena found is real.
It may be minor.
But it needs to be watched carefully.
Victoria: I see.
Marcus: Victoria.
Look at me.
She did.
Marcus: When did you last spend an afternoon alone with Leo?
Just the two of you.
She opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Victoria: It's difficult.
My schedule —
Marcus: When?
A long pause.
Victoria: I don't remember exactly.
Marcus: Elena's notes go back three weeks.
She has timestamps for every bath, every feeding, every unusual moment.
She knows which position he prefers when he's gassy.
She knows he calms down faster if you hum rather than sing words.
She knows his lips do something specific when he's about to cry before the sound comes out.
Victoria: Stop.
Marcus: I'm not saying this to hurt you.
Victoria: Then why are you saying it?
Marcus: Because I think you know all of this.
I think you've known for weeks that she knows him better than you do right now.
And I think that knowledge has been eating at you in a way you haven't been able to say out loud.
Victoria stood up.
She walked to the window and stood with her back to him.
Victoria: Do you know what it's like to walk into a room and have your own baby turn toward someone else's voice?
Marcus: No.
Victoria: He hears her and he goes still.
He hears me and he cries.
Do you know what that does to a person?
To a mother?
Marcus: He cries because you're still learning each other.
He's ten weeks old, Victoria.
You haven't lost him.
Victoria: It doesn't feel that way.
Marcus: I know.
She turned around.
Her eyes were dry but her voice had gone tight in a way that meant she was working to keep it that way.
Victoria: I hired Garrett because I felt like I was disappearing from my own life.
From my own house.
I couldn't say that to you because every time I tried to bring up Elena, you shut the conversation down.
So I did something stupid and controlling and wrong.
I know that.
I know what I did in that hallway was worse.
I'm not —
She stopped.
Victoria: I'm not a good mother right now, Marcus.
I know that.
I don't know how to fix it.
Marcus: You're not a bad mother.
You're a frightened one.
Victoria: That's a generous reading.
Marcus: It's an accurate one.
She sat back down on the edge of the bed.
The fight had gone out of her posture.
What was left looked smaller and more honest than anything Marcus had seen from her in months.
Victoria: What happens now?
Marcus: Elena stays for four weeks.
Through Leo's follow-up scan.
After that, we decide together what the household looks like going forward.
But that decision gets made by us — not by you building a legal file, and not by me shutting down every conversation you try to start.
Victoria: And the custody petition?
Marcus: I'd like you to have your attorney withdraw it.
Not because I'm threatening you.
Because I think you drafted it out of fear, and I don't want fear to be the thing that shapes what happens to our family.
Victoria: And if I don't?
Marcus: Then we're having a different conversation.
One neither of us wants to have.
She looked at him for a long time.
Victoria: I'll call my attorney tomorrow.
Marcus: Thank you.
Victoria: Marcus.
What you did in the hallway.
The sl@p.
Marcus: I know.
Victoria: I need you to understand that I cannot simply move past that.
Whatever I did — whatever you saw — that cannot be the answer.
Not in front of Leo.
Not ever.
Marcus: You're right.
It won't happen again.
Victoria: I need more than a promise.
I need you to talk to someone about it.
A professional.
Not just couples counseling.
Something for you specifically.
Marcus was quiet for a moment.
Marcus: All right.
Victoria: All right?
Marcus: Yes.
You're right.
I'll make the call this week.
Something shifted in her face.
Not relief exactly.
Something more fragile than that.
Victoria: I want to try to do the afternoon feeding today.
Alone.
Just me and Leo.
Marcus: I'll let Elena know.
Victoria: Don't make it sound like you're giving me permission.
Marcus: I'm not.
I'm coordinating.
A small pause.
Then, unexpectedly, Victoria made a sound that was almost a laugh.
Brief and tired and not quite there, but real.
Victoria: Coordinate, then.
Marcus stood.
He moved toward the door.
Victoria: Marcus.
He stopped.
Victoria: If the scan comes back and something is actually wrong with his heart — I need to be the one in that room with him.
Not her.
Marcus: Of course.
Victoria: Promise me.
Marcus: I promise you.
He left.
She sat on the edge of the bed for another minute.
Then she stood, took off her jacket, and hung it carefully in the wardrobe.
May you like
She looked at herself in the mirror for a moment — not long, just long enough.
Then she went to find her son.
