It wasn’t long before the truth came out, in a confession that felt like a knife in my heart.
“It was a long time ago, Mary,” he said. “Just before we found out you were pregnant with Luke.”
As if that made it any better? I thought to myself.
Jeff’s one – night stand, the secret daughter, and years of lies all came tumbling out, accompanied by a flood of apologies that felt hollow and far too late.
Penelope didn’t say much. She just fidgeted with the bangles on her wrist as Jeff confessed.
“So, you knew?” I asked her. “All this time, you knew?”
“I had to meet her,” Jeff said. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“I told Jeff to keep it a secret,” Penelope said. “I was okay being a single mom to Luna. My family was there to support me.”
“I never meant for this to happen,” Jeff pleaded, his eyes searching mine for a glimmer of understanding, maybe even forgiveness.
But the trust we’d once shared was so frayed, so fragile that it couldn’t bear the weight of his confession.
“Why would you send the kids to the same school?” I demanded. “Did you really think their paths wouldn’t cross?”
Jeff shook his head, but Penelope answered first.