“You don’t have to answer.”
“No,” I said, reaching for the phone with shaking fingers. “I think I do.”
He started to stand.
“Stay.”
The word came out before I could soften it.
Mark sat.
I accepted the call and put it on speaker.
For a moment, there was only static and Evan’s breathing.
“Jessica?” he said.
His voice was not remorseful. It was irritated.
I closed my eyes briefly.
“Yes.”
“You finally picked up.”
“I was in surgery, Evan.”
“I know that.”
The casualness of it made my hand tighten around the phone.
“What do you want?”
“I need you to be reasonable.”
Mark’s eyebrows moved slightly.
Reasonable.
The favorite word of people who had already done something unforgivable.
Evan continued. “My lawyer says it’ll be smoother if we present this as mutual. I don’t want drama.”
I looked at the ceiling and almost laughed.
“You don’t want drama.”
“No. And before you get emotional, understand that this has been building for a long time.”
“Funny. You never mentioned it before my tumor.”
He sighed.
“There it is. You’re going to make this about your illness.”
The room went silent.
Even the machines seemed to hold their breath.
I looked at Mark. His expression had gone completely still.
