The following weekend, Daniel brought home a large calendar.
He placed it on the kitchen counter.
"I thought we should organize the next few months."
I looked at it.
There were dates marked in blue ink.
My medical appointments.
Possible delivery preparations.
Meetings involving Graham.
I frowned.
"What's this?"
"Just a schedule."
He pointed to several dates.
"Graham wants to make sure everything is ready."
I looked at the calendar again.
"Why are you arranging his schedule?"
Daniel smiled.
"Because I'm helping coordinate things."
I didn't answer.
He picked up a pen and wrote another appointment.
I watched him.
"Have you spoken to the clinic about these dates?"
"Not all of them."
"Then why are they already on the calendar?"
He stopped writing.
"What's wrong with planning ahead?"
"Nothing. I just don't want decisions made before they're confirmed."
He put the pen down.
"You're making everything difficult."
I looked at him.
"I'm asking a question."
He sighed.
Then he closed the calendar.
"Fine. We'll discuss it later."
I didn't argue.
But I noticed something.
The dates he had written weren't just medical appointments.
Some were labeled with Graham's initials.
Others had short notes beside them.
I couldn't understand why Daniel needed to organize so much of someone else's personal life.
That afternoon, I reviewed my attorney's notes.
She had requested additional documents before giving me a complete assessment.
I placed everything into a separate envelope.
I didn't want Daniel accidentally finding it.
Later, Sophie came into the kitchen carrying her school backpack.
"Mommy, can we make cookies?"
I smiled.
"Of course."
We mixed the ingredients together.
She insisted on pouring the chocolate chips.
Most of them landed in the bowl.
A few landed on the counter.
Daniel came in while we were cleaning up.
He looked at the flour on Sophie's shirt.
Then he laughed.
"You two made a mess."
Sophie grinned.
"We made cookies!"
He kissed her forehead.
For a moment, I saw the man I had married.
And that hurt.
Because I didn't want him to be the person I was beginning to suspect.
That evening, after Sophie went to bed, Daniel sat beside me.
"I've been thinking about the future."
I remained quiet.
"When everything is finished, we should take that vacation."
I looked at him.
"What vacation?"
"The one we talked about. You, me, and Sophie."
He smiled.
"Somewhere warm. Maybe Florida."
I remembered those conversations.
He had used them when asking me to consider surrogacy.
Now he was using them again.
"Let's see how things go."
His smile faded.
"You don't seem excited anymore."
I looked at him.
"I'm tired, Daniel."
He nodded.
Then he reached for my hand.
"I know things have been difficult. But we're going to be okay."
I wanted to believe him.
I really did.
But I couldn't forget the sentence he had spoken in the kitchen.
She has no idea who she's really carrying this baby for.
I withdrew my hand gently.
"Good night."
He looked disappointed.
I went upstairs.
That night, I slept facing the wall.
I wasn't trying to punish him.
I simply didn't know how to lie beside him and pretend everything was normal.
Click here to continue reading: PART 15: I Received a Message That Made Me Realize Graham and Daniel Had Been Discussing My Pregnancy Without Telling Me Everything
My Husband Said His Boss Needed a Baby, But I Never Expected Him to Bring Up My Body During His Birthday Celebration
Part 14 of 20
