Page 4 of Bride for Keeps

He was still staring at his hands. He didn’t nod or acknowledge his father, but the man continued anyway.

“After the diagnosis, after Carter was informed of it, I felt it necessary to also let Carter know that he was not my biological child.”

Sierra couldn’t make sense of that. She choked back a laugh, because surely this was a dream or a joke or…something.

“What?” Cole croaked, interrupting whatever Dr. McArthur had continued to say. “What?”

Dr. McArthur took a deep breath, cool and calm eyes falling on Cole. “Carter is not biologically mine.”

Sierra stared at her husband, eyes wide and mouth open, and he didn’t evenlookat her. He just kept staring at his hands.

Because he knew. Oh God, he’d beeninformed.He’d known these things and that’s why he’d been withdrawn and… He hadn’t told her why. He’d let her thinkshewas the problem. That was the source of his irritation.

He’d known all these things and very, very purposefully kept her in the dark. Separate.Less.

“Your mother and I have spent the past few days discussing the changes we’d like to make in this family. Things have been tense. Secrets have bred that tension. As my disease progresses, it will be important for us to work together to preserve the McArthur name.”

Sierra stared at her in-laws, who’d always made it clear they disapproved of her. She’d never seen them act anything but cold and cruel, but she watched Mrs. McArthur lace her fingers with Dr. McArthur’s.

Sierra looked at her own husband, who was all but leaning away from her. Who’d cut her out. Even when she’d asked what was wrong. Somehow Dr. McArthur and Mrs. McArthur leaned on each other better than she and her husband did.

Sierra felt sick.

“You may each bring up any concerns you have or suggestions before we lay out the way of it,” Dr. McArthur said, much like a teacher might outline an assignment in a classroom. “Jessica, you may go first as you’ve the least to process.”

“Jess. Her name is Jess.”

Sierra said it without thinking, realizing after that she hadn’t been the only one who’d said it. Lina and Cole had also echoed her sentiments, along with Jess herself. Jess who never corrected Dr. McArthur.

“My given name is Jess. It’s never been Jessica,” she said calmly, clearly.

Strong. Certain.

Sierra had never felt more weak or uncertain or out of place in her life, and by God that was saying something. Especially in these past few months of being married to Carter.

Dr. McArthur’s eyebrows drew together, confused lines digging around his mouth. “Then why did you allow me to call you Jessica for so long?”

“Because I was afraid to correct you.”

Dr. McArthur blinked. “Well, then I apologize. It won’t happen again. Please proceed with your concerns.”

Sierra felt as though she was shaking apart. Concerns. MS. Carter wasn’t even a McArthur, and he wouldn’t look at her. Whatwasthis? Some realistic nonsense dream?

“You shouldn’t dictate how we all have to handle the situation. We’re all very different people and will need to deal with things in different ways. Asking for our suggestions is a step, but you need to let us go our own ways too. And don’t ignore the fact that you owe us all apologies.”

Suggestions. Steps. Because it was clear Jess wasn’t surprised. She’d known too, at least some things. Cole had certainly been surprised about Carter not being Dr. McArthur’s, but he’d known about the MS thing.

Sierra had been completely in the dark. About all of it. The only one.

While Carter,her husband, had known it all. And he hadn’t told heranyof it.

Because you don’t belong.

Yes, people got to deal differently with different situations, but they had to… They couldn’t… Sierra got to her feet, chair scraping as she scooted away. She couldn’t sit here and not lose it, and she’d be damned if the McArthurs, including herhusband,got to see her lose it.

“I can’t listen to any more of this,” she said, her voice breaking as she bolted for the door. She turned down the hallway. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Carter stand, grim and angry, maybe as if he was going to come after her.

No. No. She couldn’t stand to talk to him right now. She would not listen to some lecture where he sounded just like his father. “Don’t you dare,” she said, voice shaking. “You knew and you didn’t tell me anything? Do not follow me.”

---