Chapter 49

“I love her!” Fay tossed the doll aside and grabbed another gift from under my makeshift Christmas tree—a plastic plant I’d decorated with a paper man string last night—and tore through the paper with frenzied hands.

Last night, after Elsie’s water broke, chaos had erupted, and through it all, it had been decided that I’d take Fay home with me. She didn’t want to go to her own house. She wanted to sleep in my bed. Eileen had offered to drive us here, and I’d reluctantly agreed, leaving with Fay snuggled up against me. Leaving Davinder behind.

He’d never divorce Eileen. I’d been so naive. So stupid.

“When can we go see my brother?” Fay was not her usual perky self. “Can I call Mom now?”

I’d been up all night, sitting with my phone in my hand, waiting on news from Dayton. Finally, at six this morning, he’d called. Finn was here. He was a big boy, weighing nine pounds, four ounces. Elsie was doing fine, according to Dayton—exhausted and a little nauseous from the epidural, but fine.