Page 90 of The Secrets We Built Together

An official knock sounded at the door. It was the sound we'd both been dreading. Amelia startled at the noise, her little face scrunching up, but Blake quickly soothed her with gentle bounces and soft whispers.

"I'll get it," I said, squeezing Blake's shoulder as I stood.

When I opened the door, a woman I assumed was Susan Blackwood stood on our porch, clutching her briefcase with both hands. Her hair was pulled back in its usual neat ponytail, and she wore a conservative navy suit that looked too warm for the spring weather. But it was the expression on her face that made my stomach sink—a mix of professional detachment and something that looked suspiciously like pity.

"Dr. Farrington, I assume." She greeted me with a tight smile and extended her hand to shake. "May I come in?"

"Of course," I stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. "Blake and Amelia are in the living room."

I followed Susan into the cottage, watching as her gaze swept over the space, taking in the baby toys scattered across the floor, the half-folded laundry on the armchair, the dishes drying beside the sink. All the small, mundane evidence of our life together.

"Susan, hi," Blake said, standing up with Amelia balanced on her hip. The baby was chewing on her fist, drool making herchin glisten in the late afternoon light. "Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee?"

"Water would be nice, thank you," Susan said, following Blake into the kitchen and setting her briefcase on the kitchen table.

I filled a glass from the tap while Blake settled Amelia into her high chair, giving her a teething toy to keep her occupied. We all sat down at the kitchen table, the scratched wood surface that had become the center of our home life these past few weeks.

Susan took a sip of her water, then set the glass down carefully. "I appreciate you both taking the time to meet with me."

There was something in her tone that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I glanced at Blake and saw that she'd gone very still, her fingers curled tightly around the edge of the table.

"Is everything okay?" Blake asked, her voice small.

Susan folded her hands on the table. "I want to be straight with you both. Ms. Mitchell, your background check came back clean, as expected."

Blake nodded, but I could see the tension in her shoulders hadn't eased. Because we both knew there was more coming.

Susan turned to me, and I felt my stomach sink. "Dr. Farrington, however, your background check flagged some concerns. Specifically related to an incident in the city last year. Although no charges were filed, it seems you had a level of alcohol in your system during a car accident."

Blake immediately jumped to my defense, her chair scraping against the floor as she leaned forward. "Xander might have had a problem once, but he's been sober for nearly a year. He's worked the program, he's committed to his recovery. This isn't fair."

I reached across the table and took Blake's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's okay," I said softly. Then I turned to Susan."Blake's right about my sobriety, but she's also not telling the whole story because she doesn't know it."

I took a deep breath, feeling the familiar shame wash over me, but I pushed through it. This was too important for half-truths or evasions.

"I am an alcoholic," I said plainly. "I started drinking heavily during my residency to cope with the stress, and it only got worse when I started my own practice. The accident happened when I was driving home from a hospital shift. I'd been up for nearly forty-eight hours, and I'd had a drink to 'take the edge off.' I wasn't legally intoxicated, but I wasn't sober, either. I dozed off at the wheel and hit a parked car. Thankfully, no one else was hurt, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I did a very reckless thing."

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet Susan's eyes. "That was my rock bottom. My practice partners asked me to leave, and they quietly bought me out. When I realized what I was doing to myself, I checked myself into rehab, and I've been sober ever since. I just got my one year chip."

Susan nodded, her expression giving nothing away. "Thank you for your honesty, Dr. Farrington. I appreciate that, truly."

She looked between us, and something in her face softened. Amelia chose that moment to squeal and drop her teething toy on the floor with a clatter. I automatically bent to retrieve it, wiping it clean on my shirt before handing it back to her.

"You both clearly care for Amelia very much," Susan said, watching the interaction with a thoughtful expression. "And I can see you've created a loving home for her."

"But?" Blake prompted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Susan sighed, removing her glasses and pinching the bridge of her nose. "But this does complicate matters. Between us, there have been… issues in the office and everyone is firmly in cover-your-own-back mode. If it had just been the addiction, it wouldhave been manageable. We recognize that recovery is a journey, and your commitment to sobriety speaks volumes. But driving under the influence, and with it being so recent…" She shook her head. "That's going to make it a hard sell to my supervisor."

The words hit me like a physical blow. I'd been supposed to make this easier for Blake, not harder. Now I was going to be the reason she didn't get to keep Amelia.

"Would it be easier if I wasn't in the picture?" I asked, the words tasting like ash in my mouth.

Blake gasped beside me, her hand tightening painfully around mine. "Xander, no!"

I hated the idea, but if that's what it took... "If my presence is the obstacle, then maybe—"

"Actually, that would probably make it worse," Susan interrupted, shaking her head. "It would raise questions about stability and support systems. The fact that you're together actually works in your favor. It shows commitment and a willingness to provide a stable family structure."

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