Dominic jerked his chin toward the parking garage. “I require the vehicle. My parents and Natalie are flying in this afternoon. I already secured a premium reservation at Carbone. I’m not going to cancel a critical family lunch just because you want to act fragile.” Vehicles
I stared at him, unable to breathe.
At that moment, the rest of the Vance family emerged from the lobby—my mother-in-law, Victoria, my father-in-law, Arthur, and Dominic’s sister, Natalie. They were laughing, perfectly dressed, soaked in expensive perfume, behaving as if they were leaving for an ordinary Sunday brunch. Natalie swept past me, glanced once at the baby, and barely reacted.
“Oh, brilliant, you’re finally out. Dominic, let’s move, or we’ll miss our seating block.”
No one asked how I was. No one asked whether Leo needed anything.
Dominic grabbed the small diaper bag from the discharge nurse, threw it into the SUV’s back seat, then turned around to give me one last instruction.
“There’s leftover rice in the fridge from last night. Microwave that for yourself. And do not constantly call my terminal, because I will be completely checked out with my family.”
The coins pressed painfully into my palm. Some ancient part of me wanted to scream, cry, plead with anyone in that crowded plaza to protect my dignity. But Leo made a tiny sleeping sound, and I only held him closer, guarding his peace. VisualArt & Design
The black SUV pulled from the curb. Through the dark tinted windows, I saw Dominic grinning as Natalie spoke animatedly from the front passenger seat. That easy, conspiratorial smile was one he had not given me in months.
The city bus arrived with a harsh screech of air brakes.
