“I didn’t know about you,” the woman continued, her voice breaking. “I only found out about his death recently. I was pregnant when he disappeared. I learned about where he was buried from someone else.”
Rhiannon felt the ground shift beneath her. James had lived a life she knew nothing about.
The woman, now sobbing, explained, “I was angry. Angry that he left us, angry that I had to do everything alone. I thought maybe taking the flowers… it sounds awful, but I felt like he owed us something.”
Rhiannon’s heart was a mix of fury and confusion. The baby in her arms—James’ child—looked up at her, wide-eyed and innocent.
“Keep the flowers,” Rhiannon said bitterly, walking away. “Just take care of him.”
That night, Rhiannon couldn’t sleep. The truth about James had shattered her, and there were no answers, only a man she thought she knew who now felt like a stranger.
Days passed, and the anger softened. Rhiannon couldn’t stop thinking about the baby—the innocent life caught in the chaos James had left behind. On the third day, she went to the apartment the woman had mentioned. It was small, rundown, and Rhiannon couldn’t fathom how James had let his child live like this.
Without thinking, Rhiannon grabbed groceries and a stuffed bear from the store before climbing the stairs to the apartment. When the woman opened the door, her face was one of disbelief.
“I’m not asking for anything,” Rhiannon said quickly. “But I thought you might need help. For him.”
Tears welled up in the woman’s eyes. She stepped aside, and Rhiannon saw the baby, Elliot, lying on a blanket, gnawing on a teething ring. He looked up at Rhiannon, and her chest tightened.
“I’m Rhiannon,” she said softly. “What’s his name?”
“Pearl,” the woman replied, her voice shaking. “This is Elliot.”
Rhiannon smiled through her tears. “Hi, Elliot.”
The baby reached for her hand, and she took it, feeling a warmth in his tiny grip that made the grief in her chest ease, even if just for a moment.
“I don’t know what this means,” Rhiannon said, her voice uncertain. “But I don’t think either of us can do this alone.”
Pearl nodded, her lips trembling.
As Elliot gurgled, blissfully unaware of the past, Rhiannon realized that the betrayal wasn’t the whole story. The absence of James had led to an unexpected connection between two women and a child. It wasn’t forgiveness, not yet. But it was a start. And in the warmth of Elliot’s grip, Rhiannon found a glimmer of hope—a reason to keep going.