***
I mulled the conversation over until I had the guts to call the next day.
Lily’s mother answered on the third ring.
“Hello?”
“My name’s Maren,” I said. “I’m Elliot’s ex-wife.”
There was a sharp laugh on the other end. “That’s funny. He said you wouldn’t reach out. That you didn’t care about any of this even while you were still married.”
She answered on the third ring.
Of course, Elliot had already made me the bad guy to his baby’s mother.
“I didn’t know about your daughter until yesterday,” I said. “I swear.”
Her voice changed. Hardened.
“Tell him he’s not getting full custody,” she snapped. “I don’t care what story he’s selling this time.”
“I’m not calling for him. I’m calling because he’s asking me to lie. Is he trying to change the custody arrangement for his daughter?” I guessed.
She hung up.
That was the cost. I’d stepped into something I couldn’t undo.
“I didn’t know about your daughter until yesterday.”
There was more to the story, and I was determined to dig it all up before it became too late.
Minutes later, I unblocked Elliot and texted, “We need to talk.”
To my surprise, he’d already unblocked me, probably in anticipation of my response to Claire.
He called immediately.
“Maren,” he said, as if this were a coincidence. “I was hoping you’d reach out.”
“You told your wife our divorce was mutual and kind,” I said, not bothering with pleasantries. “You want to explain why?”
“We need to talk.”
He sighed. “Because that’s how I remember it.”
“Well, you remember wrong,” I said. “Or you’re lying about your recollection.”
“Claire doesn’t need details,” he replied. “She needs stability.”
“And you need credibility,” I said. “So you thought you’d borrow mine.”
His voice softened. “I need you to help me just once. She’ll never know.”
That was the moment I knew I had the upper hand. He wasn’t trying to intimidate me. He actually needed me.
I dropped the call. I knew what I had to do.
“Or you’re lying about your recollection.”
