Chapter 5: The Baby Shower
The Hawthorne Club was decorated like a magazine spread.
White roses lined the entrance.
Gold balloons floated above the reception tables.
A huge sign displayed the words:
*WELCOME, LITTLE CARTER.*
I stood outside the private ballroom with Michael beside me.
He adjusted his jacket.
“Are you sure you want to do this?””
I looked through the open doors.
Daniel stood near the center of the room, holding a champagne glass.
Vanessa sat in a cream-colored chair, one hand resting on her stomach.
They looked like the perfect couple.
“I've spent seven years being blamed for something I didn't understand,” I said.
“I'm not leaving without answers.””
Michael nodded.
We walked inside.
The first person to notice us was Daniel's mother, Patricia.
Her smile disappeared.
“Emily?””
“Hello, Patricia.””
She glanced at Michael.
“What are you doing here?””
Michael looked uncomfortable.
“I was invited.””
Patricia frowned.
“By whom?””
Before he could answer, Daniel appeared.
He wore a navy suit and a gold watch I had given him for our fifth anniversary.
“Emily.””
His smile was wide enough for the entire room.
“You actually came.””
“You invited me.””
He glanced at Michael.
“And you brought my brother.””
Michael stared at him.
“I'm here for Vanessa.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
Only for a second.
Then he laughed.
“Of course. Everyone is family today.””
Vanessa approached.
Her dress was pale pink, and her pregnancy was clearly visible.
She smiled at me.
“Emily! I'm so glad you came.””
She leaned forward as if to hug me.
I didn't move.
Her arms dropped.
“Still uncomfortable around pregnant women?”” she asked softly.
I looked at her.
“No. Just around people who forge documents.””
Her smile vanished.
Before she could respond, Daniel stepped between us.
“Not today, Emily.””
He lowered his voice.
“We agreed to keep things civil.””
“We never agreed to anything.””
He gave me a warning look.
Then he turned toward the guests.
“Everyone, I'd like to welcome two special people. My ex-wife, Emily, and my younger brother, Michael.””
Several guests exchanged confused looks.
Daniel raised his glass.
“It's wonderful when families can move forward without resentment.””
I noticed several people watching me.
I understood what he was doing.
He wanted to establish himself as the generous one.
The mature one.
The man who had overcome a difficult marriage and finally found happiness.
A waiter approached with a tray.
Vanessa picked up a glass of sparkling water.
“Emily, would you like to see the nursery pictures?””
I shook my head.
“Actually, I'd like to see the original consent form.””
Her fingers tightened around the glass.
Daniel stepped closer.
“That's enough.””
I looked at him.
“Why? You said I would understand once I saw it.””
His expression changed.
Vanessa glanced at him.
Then she smiled again.
“Let's not discuss medical paperwork at a baby shower.””
“Then why did you send me a photograph of it?””
Her face went pale.
Daniel took my arm.
“Come with me.””
I pulled away.
“Don't touch me.””
Several guests turned.
Patricia hurried over.
“What's going on?””
Daniel gave a practiced laugh.
“Nothing. Emily is having a difficult day.””
I looked at Patricia.
“Did Daniel ever tell you why our marriage ended?””
She frowned.
“Of course. You know how much he wanted children.””
“And did he tell you that one of our embryos was transferred to Vanessa?””
The room became quiet.
Patricia looked at Daniel.
“What is she talking about?””
Daniel's smile disappeared.
“Emily, stop.””
I continued.
“Did he tell you that the consent form contains a signature I never made?””
A woman near the dessert table gasped.
Vanessa stood up.
“That's not true.””
I turned toward her.
“Then show everyone the original document.””
Daniel placed his glass on a nearby table.
“Emily, you need to leave.””
Michael finally stepped forward.
“Stop telling her what to do.””
Daniel stared at his brother.
“This has nothing to do with you.””
Michael laughed once.
“That's funny, considering my name is on the consent form.””
A wave of whispers moved through the room.
Vanessa looked at Michael.
“Please don't.””
He stared at her.
“You told me you wanted a child with me.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Michael, not here.””
“Where, Vanessa? At the clinic? In your apartment? When you told me you were going to start a family with my brother?””
Daniel grabbed Michael's shoulder.
“Enough.””
Michael pushed his hand away.
“You said the arrangement was legal.””
“It was.””
“Then why did you need my signature after the transfer?””
Daniel's face turned red.
I watched Vanessa lower herself into the chair.
Her hand moved protectively over her stomach.
A guest whispered, “What is happening?””
Patricia looked between her two sons.
“Daniel, explain this.””
He straightened his jacket.
“There's nothing to explain. Michael agreed to help Vanessa and me become parents. The clinic handled everything.””
Michael's expression hardened.
“You told me the baby would be genetically mine.””
Daniel shook his head.
“That's not what I said.””
“You showed me paperwork.””
“Which you refused to sign.””
“Because it was false!””
Daniel stepped closer.
“You're confused. You always have been about these things.””
Michael looked as though he might strike him.
I placed a hand on his arm.
“Don't.””
Then I turned toward Daniel.
“You keep saying the clinic handled everything. That's interesting, because their audit report says your authorization was entered before mine.””
He laughed.
“You don't understand medical records.””
“Then explain them.””
“I don't owe you an explanation.””
“Not even after you blamed me for being infertile?””
His jaw tightened.
I continued.
“You told me I destroyed your dream of fatherhood. You said my body was the reason we couldn't have a family.””
Daniel looked around.
“This is a private matter.””
“No. You made it public when you invited me here.””
Vanessa suddenly stood.
“Daniel, tell her.””
He turned.
“Not now.””
“You promised me.””
“Vanessa.””
She began crying.
“You said everything was taken care of. You said nobody would ever find out.””
The room fell silent.
Daniel grabbed her arm.
“Sit down.””
She pulled away.
“Don't tell me to sit down!””
Patricia covered her mouth.
I felt a cold certainty settle over me.
Vanessa wasn't simply afraid of being exposed.
She was afraid of something specific.
Something she knew about the pregnancy.
I took my phone from my handbag.
“Margaret is waiting outside.””
Daniel stared at me.
“You brought a lawyer?””
“I brought someone who understands the documents you keep telling me not to read.””
He laughed.
“You can't turn a baby shower into a courtroom.””
“No,” I said.
“But I can ask everyone here to hear the truth.””
The ballroom doors opened.
Margaret entered carrying a leather folder.
Behind her was a woman in a gray suit.
“Emily,” she said, “the clinic has completed the preliminary document review.””
Daniel's face lost its color.
Vanessa stepped backward.
Margaret looked around the room.
“I apologize for interrupting. But given the circumstances, there is a matter that needs to be clarified before this celebration continues.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“You have no right to be here.””
Margaret calmly opened her folder.
“We're here because the clinic has identified a serious discrepancy in the reproductive consent documentation.””
The woman beside her introduced herself.
“I'm Susan Blake, an independent records examiner appointed during the clinic's internal investigation.””
She placed a sealed envelope on the table.
“Before anyone makes further claims, I need to establish whether the people named in the original genetic parentage record are present.””
Margaret looked at me.
Then at Michael.
Then at Daniel and Vanessa.
“All four of you need to hear this.””
Daniel's voice became sharp.
“This is ridiculous.””
Susan didn't look at him.
She removed a document from the envelope.
“According to the original embryology record, the embryo transferred to Ms. Reed was not genetically created using the donor arrangement described in the amended consent package.””
Vanessa began shaking.
Michael stared at the paper.
Daniel stepped toward Susan.
“That's enough.””
But she continued.
“The original genetic source record identifies two individuals. One is Ms. Emily Carter.””
I felt the blood drain from my face.
The second name was still covered by a folded section of paper.
Susan looked directly at Vanessa.
“Before we proceed, Ms. Reed, did you know the embryo's original genetic parentage was different from what you were told?””
Vanessa began crying.
Daniel grabbed the document.
“Don't answer that.””
Susan pulled it away.
Then Vanessa whispered something that nobody in the room expected.
“I knew it wasn't Michael's embryo.””
Michael looked at her.
“Then whose was it?””
May you like
Vanessa closed her eyes.
And Daniel, for the first time since I had known him, looked genuinely terrified.
