No, I’m fine.
Instead, I sat down and opened my phone.
There was one person I never expected to call.
Barbara.
Eric’s mother and I had never been close.
She thought I was too sensitive. I thought she defended Eric too quickly. During our marriage, I rarely complained about him to her because I assumed she would always take his side.
After Eric left, Barbara stopped calling.
I assumed that meant she had chosen.
Still, that night, I called her.
She answered in a sleepy voice.
“Claire?”
And I told her everything.
I told her about the money, the pregnancy, the emergency delivery, the NICU, the pharmacy, Eric’s refusal to help, and the visit to Tessa’s house.
For once, I did not soften the story.
I did not make Eric sound better.
When I finished, Barbara said nothing.
The silence lasted so long that I checked the phone.
“Barbara?”
Finally, she spoke.
“He told me you left him.”
I sat straighter.
“What?”
“He said you wanted the marriage over.”
“No. He packed and left.”
Another pause.
“He also said you didn’t want me involved with you or the baby.”
I stared at the wall.
“Barbara, that isn’t true.”
Her breathing changed.
“I understand.”
Then, in a flat and very controlled voice, she said, “I’m coming over.”
About an hour later, Barbara appeared at my door wearing a coat over her pajamas and carrying grocery bags.
This was the same woman who had spent years finding subtle faults with nearly everything I did.
That night, she walked inside without criticism.
She placed the groceries on the counter, washed her hands, and carefully lifted Chloe from the bassinet.
“Well,” she whispered. “Aren’t you something?”
Chloe yawned.
I laughed before I could stop myself.
Barbara looked at me.
“Did you get all of her medicine?”
I shook my head.
“Not all of it.”
“And Eric refused?”
“Yes.”
Her mouth tightened.
She looked down at Chloe for a long time.
Then she said quietly, “I have spent years making that man’s life easier than it should have been.”
It sounded less like a statement to me and more like a realization she had finally said aloud.
Barbara stayed until Chloe fell asleep.
Before leaving, she put on her coat.
“I’ll be back in the morning.”
“Why?”
A small smile appeared.
“Because I have a plan.”
