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07:46...
07:49I tried four more firms. Every single one heard me out and then turned me down with the exact same
07:53line, conflict of interest.
07:55That was when it hit me. Elijah had mapped this all out. He didn't just want me homeless and broke.
08:00He wanted me unable to fight back.
08:03My phone rang. It was Mom.
08:05Ava, what's going on between you and Elijah?
08:08Mom, what happened?
08:10A lawyer just called. He said there's an issue with the title on your father's storefront.
08:15Elijah helped my parents buy that storefront last year. They lived off the rental income.
08:19They said the Hale lawyers are trying to take the storefront back.
08:22Your father's blood pressure just spiked. He's beside himself.
08:28Mom, it's okay. I'll handle it.
08:31After I hung up, Madison found out where Elijah was.
08:37I took a cab downtown to an Upscale restaurant.
08:40Inside, Elijah sat by the window with Dr. Serena Vale, St. Matthew's new associate chief and the board chair's daughter.
08:49Ava? Oh my god, why are you soaked?
08:52Elijah, come after me all you want. But why go after my parents' storefront?
08:57I paid for it.
08:58You bought it as their retirement gift.
09:00And I regret it.
09:02I won't fund a cheater.
09:05I didn't cheat!
09:08Diners turned to stare.
09:12Ava, we're adults. If you screwed up, own it. Leave with some dignity.
09:17Nobody asked you!
09:20Elijah, look at her!
09:22Are you done?
09:23Drop the claim on my parents' storefront or I go to the board and the press.
09:26You want to ruin me? I'll take you down with me.
09:29Sign it.
09:30Admit you cheated, give up the condo and the joint account.
09:33Then my lawyer drops the claim.
09:34You want me to confess to a lie?
09:36It's your only way out.
09:39Elijah, do you really not care about me anymore?
09:42Or the baby?
09:43What does your kid have to do with me?
09:53I don't remember how I walked out of that restaurant.
09:56I stumbled down the street alone.
09:58Until a sharp pain tore through my lower belly.
10:02I grabbed a lamppost and doubled over.
10:07Help.
10:08Somebody, please.
10:12With shaking hands,
10:14I called Madison.
10:17Ava?
10:18Where are you?
10:28When I came to,
10:29I was in a hospital bed at St.
10:30Three Feet Mathes.
10:36The baby.
10:37It's okay.
10:37The doctor said it was a threatened miscarriage.
10:40If you'd gotten here any later,
10:41you could have lost the baby.
10:43I covered the deposit on my card.
10:45But for the rest of the stay and meds,
10:47we have to wait on insurance.
10:49My heart sank.
10:50I didn't have a single working card to my name.
10:54Elijah Hale!
10:55Your wife almost lost the baby!
10:57And you won't even look at her?
10:58I already told you.
11:00That baby has nothing to do with me.
11:01The ER stabilized her.
11:03If she can't cover further observation,
11:04follow protocol.
11:05St. Matthew's isn't a charity.
11:08You're going to kick her out?
11:13Say whatever you want.
11:24If he could be that heartless,
11:26then I was done holding back.
11:28A week later,
11:29at the temporary orders hearing,
11:30I still had no lawyer.
11:32I showed up alone.
11:33I sat by myself at the respondent's table.
11:36Across from me,
11:38Elijah sat stone-faced,
11:39his divorce attorney beside him.
11:41Counsel for the petitioner?
11:43Your Honor,
11:44these photos show Ms. White
11:45in inappropriate contact
11:47with a male co-worker.
11:48Based on the alleged affair,
11:50we ask the court to move forward
11:51with the divorce
11:52and deny her any claim
11:53to the marital property.
11:56Ms. White,
11:57do you admit to the affair
11:59alleged in the petition?
12:01No.
12:01But the divorce,
12:02I agree.
12:03Since both parties agree to proceed,
12:05we'll address temporary property orders.
12:08Ms. White,
12:08do you dispute the evidence?
12:11I agree.
12:17FBI,
12:18Your Honor,
12:19this hearing needs to stop right now.
12:23Dr. Hale,
12:24you can drop the act now.
12:25The operation is over.
12:27Acting?
12:27Ms. White,
12:28did you really think
12:29he came here today
12:29to divorce you?
12:35Agent,
12:35this is a family court hearing.
12:37What's the meaning of this?
12:41Your Honor,
12:41please suspend this hearing immediately.
12:43Dr. Hale is a key witness
12:45in a federal investigation
12:46into medical crimes.
12:52The man who had been cold
12:54and untouchable
12:55a moment ago
12:56now looked like
12:57all the strength
12:58had drained out of him.
12:59It's over.
13:00Victor Kane's people
13:01are in custody
13:02and the St. Matthew executives
13:04involved are in custody too.
13:11And Ava?
13:11She's safe.
13:22What are you talking about?
13:25What operation?
13:26What key witness?
13:30Ms. White,
13:31I'm sorry
13:32for what we put you through.
13:37We didn't have a choice.
13:45What is going on?
13:50A month ago,
13:51Dr. Hale found
13:52mismatched serial numbers
13:53on a batch of imported
13:54heart valves
13:55at St. Matthew's.
14:04He dug deeper
14:05and found someone
14:05using hospital procurement
14:07to move counterfeit implants
14:08with links
14:09to an underground
14:10transplant ring.
14:11When Victor Kane's people
14:12realized he was onto them,
14:14they moved on him fast.
14:21How is that related to me?
14:29It showed Luna's collar,
14:31the cat I'd raised
14:32for three years,
14:33stained with blood.
14:36A card was tucked
14:37beside the collar.
14:39Two weeks ago,
14:40Elisha told me
14:41Luna had slipped out
14:42and never came back.
14:43They didn't just kill
14:44your cat.
14:46They put a tracker
14:47on your car.
14:48They threatened
14:49that if Dr. Hale
14:50tried to expose them,
14:51you and the baby
14:52would end up
14:52on an underground
14:53operating table.
14:58So that's why
14:59he suddenly turned on me?
15:02to protect you
15:03and to work
15:04with the FBI
15:05on a covert operation.
15:06He had to make them
15:07believe he didn't care
15:08about you at all.
15:09The photos,
15:10the humiliation,
15:11it was all an act?
15:13Driving me to the edge?
15:15That was protection too?
15:20Every single thing
15:21he did
15:21had a reason.
15:23I'll explain everything.
15:33But not now.
15:34He's barely holding on.
15:39I followed her gaze.
15:41A dark red stain
15:43was spreading
15:44across the side
15:45of Elijah's white shirt
15:46near his ribs.
15:48Elijah,
15:49you're bleeding.
15:52He was stabbed
15:53last night
15:54while luring out
15:54Cain's second commander.
15:55He refused the hospital,
15:57got stitched up
15:57at a clinic
15:58and insisted
15:58on finishing this today.
16:06Are you insane?
16:12As long as you're safe,
16:15that's enough.
16:19Medics!
16:19Now!
16:30Elijah,
16:31you absolute lunatic.
16:33The sight of his blood,
16:34the baby,
16:35the courtroom,
16:36everything,
16:36it all crashed over me
16:38at once.
16:38My chest tightened,
16:40the room tilted,
16:42then everything went dark.
16:50When I woke up again,
16:52I was in a hospital room.
16:59You're awake?
17:00Are you okay?
17:03Where's Elijah?
17:04Still in the ICU.
17:06He lost too much blood
17:07and the wound's infected.
17:09Doctors say he's not
17:10out of the woods yet.
17:14I stared at the ceiling
17:16like a weight
17:17was crushing my chest.
17:30Mrs. White,
17:31in court,
17:32you asked why
17:33Elijah drove you
17:34to the edge.
17:36The Lakeview condo
17:37was bugged.
17:38It wasn't safe anymore.
17:40Kane's people
17:41were already tracking
17:42your transactions.
17:43The moment you used
17:44that card,
17:45you'd expose
17:46your location.
17:51Did he ever think
17:52about what I was
17:52supposed to do?
17:54Locked out of my home
17:55and penniless?
18:00He left you
18:01an emergency card.
18:03It was tucked
18:03into the lining
18:04of your maternity bag.
18:06I remembered
18:07the young mover
18:08who had placed
18:09my prenatal records
18:10and vitamins
18:11into a separate bag.
18:14That mover?
18:15One of ours.
18:16His job was to make sure
18:17you took your ID,
18:18prenatal records,
18:19and meds
18:20and made it to
18:20Madison safely.
18:21And the hospital?
18:23He tried to kick me out?
18:24He tried to kick me out.
18:27St. Matthew's OB unit
18:28had Kane's people there too.
18:30So Elijah arranged
18:31her transfer
18:31to a safe hospital.
18:35Serena didn't show up
18:36at that restaurant
18:36by accident either.
18:37Her father does business
18:38with Kane.
18:39She was there that day
18:40to test whether
18:40the split was real.
18:42Then why didn't he tell me?
18:44Because you were probably
18:45already being watched.
18:47He couldn't risk
18:48even the smallest slip.
18:49And he didn't want
18:50to scare you.
18:51Every memory came rushing
18:52back in that instant.
18:53But every moment
18:54still hurt.
18:55His protection
18:56might have been real.
18:58But the security guards
18:59dragging me out
19:00of the hospital
19:01was real too.
19:02The way he said
19:03the baby had nothing
19:04to do with him,
19:05humiliating me like that,
19:06was real too.
19:08And the divorce agreement
19:10he threw in front of me
19:11was the hardest to erase.
19:16These are Elijah's things.
19:17Whether you read them
19:18is up to you.
19:22inside the bag
19:23inside the bag
19:23were a phone
19:23with a shattered screen
19:25and a black notebook.
19:36No four.
19:37The heart valve
19:38batch numbers
19:39don't match.
19:40Someone tampered
19:41with the St. Matthew system.
19:42The director found out
19:43I'm investigating
19:44and told me to shut up.
19:46Nova 9.
19:47Luna is dead.
19:49They said Ava is next.
19:50I can't let them touch her.
19:52Never.
19:53Nova 12.
19:54Laura says the only way
19:55is to cut her off.
19:56I have to drive her
19:57completely out of my world.
19:58The crueler,
19:59the better.
20:00But when she cried
20:00and asked me why,
20:01I almost broke.
20:03Still,
20:04I'd rather she hate me
20:05for the rest of her life,
20:06as long as she stays alive.
20:08Deck 1.
20:09She almost lost the baby today.
20:11When I walked down that hallway,
20:12I heard her crying.
20:14But Kane's man
20:15was right behind me.
20:16I didn't dare
20:16even glance back at her.
20:18If the baby is gone,
20:19if something happens to her,
20:20what's the point
20:21of me being alive?
20:24For a whole month,
20:25I'd endured every ounce
20:26of the pain
20:27and the scorn.
20:28And now he was telling me
20:30it was all an act?
20:31It was absurd.
20:35Ava.
20:36Laura said the surveillance
20:37in the condo is gone.
20:38Your card works again.
20:40In your parents' shop,
20:42the title never changed.
20:43That document was fake.
20:46I want to see him.
20:51Madison pushed the wheelchair,
20:53taking me to the ICU.
20:57Through the thick glass,
20:58I saw Elijah lying in the bed.
21:08Elijah,
21:09you promised to take me
21:10to Alaska
21:11for the Northern Lights?
21:12If you dare die,
21:14I'll take the baby
21:15and leave
21:15and he'll never know
21:16who you were.
21:18That night,
21:19I sat outside the ICU.
21:20I never closed my eyes.
21:25At dawn,
21:26the doctor finally came out.
21:28He pulled through.
21:29His numbers are stabilizing.
21:30He can move to a regular room
21:31this afternoon.
21:33But watching them
21:34wail Elijah out,
21:35the images came
21:36stabbing back,
21:37one by one.
21:38The whispers of the doctors
21:39and nurses in the hallway.
21:41My belongings piled
21:42outside the condo door.
21:44Me, alone,
21:45collapsing in the rain
21:46outside the restaurant.
21:47Reason told me
21:48he did it to save me.
21:49But the wounds to my body
21:50and my heart
21:51wouldn't vanish
21:52over one truth.
21:54In that month,
21:55more than once,
21:55I felt I couldn't go on.
21:58That tearing feeling.
21:59I didn't know
22:00what expression to wear
22:01when I faced him.
22:03Take me back
22:04to my room.
22:13Three days later,
22:14Elijah woke up.
22:23Ava.
22:28I know everything now.
22:35Then do you still hate me?
22:39I do.
22:41I know you saved me.
22:42I know you almost died
22:44in that operation.
22:44But in the hospital hallway,
22:46when you had security
22:46drag me out
22:47in the restaurant,
22:48when you threw the divorce papers
22:49at me in front of Serena,
22:50and when I was in that hospital bed
22:52thinking I was losing the baby
22:53and you walked away cold,
22:56that pain was all real.
22:57I know.
22:58In those moments,
22:59I wanted to take a knife
23:00and stab myself.
23:02But I had no other way.
23:04Kane's man is a psychopath.
23:05If I hadn't gone that far,
23:07you wouldn't have lived
23:08to see today.
23:09But you didn't give me a choice.
23:13You saved my life,
23:15but you also destroyed
23:16my trust in you.
23:22I drew in a deep breath.
23:24Elijah,
23:25right now,
23:26I don't know how to hold you again.
23:35Ava.
23:37If you want me back,
23:38stop hiding behind your sacrifice.
23:40You have to earn the trust back,
23:42piece by piece.
23:43I will.
23:46First,
23:47learn to stop deciding things for me.
23:52Over the next two weeks,
23:53I went to the hospital
23:54to see him every day.
23:55I brought him meals,
23:57sat with him through rehab.
23:58We were like the most polite strangers.
24:01I'd say the weather was nice today.
24:03He'd say,
24:04hmm.
24:05I'd ask if the wound still hurt.
24:08He'd say it didn't anymore.
24:09He wanted to reach out
24:11and touch my belly.
24:13Every time,
24:14his hand made it halfway
24:14before he pulled it back,
24:16holding himself in check.
24:17He was afraid I'd flinch away.
24:20The day Elijah was discharged,
24:22light snow was falling outside.
24:24Agent Laura sent a car
24:26to take us back
24:27to the Lakeview condo.
24:29A new security system
24:30had been installed at the door.
24:32Elijah stepped forward
24:33and entered six digits.
24:35The new code was my birthday.
24:37I pushed the door open.
24:39The living room was spotless.
24:40None of the luggage
24:41that had been thrown
24:42everywhere that day.
24:43On the coffee table,
24:44the wedding ring he'd taken off
24:45sat inside a jewelry box.
24:47Ava,
24:47welcome home.
24:49There was a plea in his eyes.
24:53I walked in,
24:55calm.
24:55Your wound isn't healed.
24:57Take the master bedroom.
25:01And you?
25:02I'll sleep in the guest room.
25:04I didn't give him
25:05a chance to argue.
25:06I walked straight
25:07into the second bedroom
25:08and shut the door.
25:09That night,
25:10I lay in the guest room,
25:12tossing and turning.
25:13The second I closed my eyes,
25:15I saw those photos
25:16in the courtroom
25:17and the way he'd coldly said,
25:20that baby has nothing
25:21to do with me.
25:23In the middle of the night,
25:24I jolt awake
25:25from a nightmare.
25:26Hurried footsteps
25:28sounded outside the door.
25:32Ava?
25:33Can I come in?
25:41Don't come in.
25:46Okay.
25:47I'll be right here at the door.
25:53The next day,
25:55Elijah set breakfast,
25:56ginger tea,
25:57and prenatal vitamins
25:57on the table.
25:58Every single thing,
26:00just like before.
26:01But watching it,
26:02all I felt
26:03was a tightness
26:04in my throat.
26:07Breakfast is ready.
26:15May I?
26:21I'm sorry.
26:22I should wait
26:23until you're ready.
26:31Ava,
26:31I know you can't
26:32get past this.
26:34I won't push you.
26:37Just let me
26:37take care of you.
26:40Okay?
26:47Do what you want.
26:50The doorbell
26:51suddenly rang.
26:52Elijah got up
26:53to answer it.
26:54The door opened.
26:56My parents
26:57stood outside.
27:03Ava,
27:04how did you
27:05get this thin?
27:10Laura told us
27:11the truth.
27:16I'm very sorry.
27:18We know you did it
27:19to protect her.
27:20But a reason
27:21isn't an excuse.
27:24You left her pregnant,
27:26thinking she had
27:27no home,
27:28no money,
27:30no one
27:30who wanted her.
27:33Ava,
27:34you don't have
27:35to force yourself
27:36to forgive him.
27:37Just because
27:38he almost died.
27:42Ava,
27:43come home with us.
27:45You don't have
27:45to stay here.
27:49Dad,
27:50Mom.
27:53I respect
27:54Ava's choice.
27:59I'm
28:00staying.
28:07Okay,
28:08but the moment
28:09you call,
28:10we'll come
28:11get you.
28:16After the door
28:17closed,
28:18it was just
28:19me and Elijah.
28:24After a long
28:25silence,
28:26he walked back
28:27to the dining table,
28:28pulled a card
28:29from his pocket,
28:30and placed it
28:31in front of me.
28:32It read,
28:34Trauma Therapist.
28:36Laura recommended her.
28:37I booked an appointment
28:38for tomorrow.
28:41For me?
28:43For me.
28:45You were right.
28:46I shouldn't have made
28:47every decision for you
28:48and called it protection.
28:52I also found someone for you.
28:55Only if you want it.
28:58So this time,
28:59you actually asked me.
29:02money.
29:03I'm learning.
29:07There's more.
29:10Tell me.
29:11Money.
29:12Medical decisions.
29:14Any safety plan
29:15for this family,
29:16all of it stays
29:17transparent.
29:19from now on,
29:20no matter how
29:21dangerous things get,
29:22you don't get
29:23to cut me off.
29:24Lie to me
29:25or push me away
29:26by yourself.
29:30Okay.
29:31I'll put it in writing.
29:33A legal agreement,
29:34if that's what you need.
29:35Your lawyer can review
29:36every word.
29:38Good.
29:40Whatever it takes
29:43to earn your trust back.
29:48In the days after that,
29:50Elijah was even more
29:51attentive to me
29:51than before.
29:52He canceled
29:53out-of-state consults
29:55and non-essential trips
29:56and pushed his surgery
29:57schedule to daytime
29:58as much as he could.
30:00He drove me
30:01to every prenatal
30:02checkup on time.
30:04My morning sickness
30:05was brutal
30:05and I couldn't
30:06keep food down.
30:07So he got creative,
30:09making me
30:09nutritious meals.
30:11At night,
30:12when my calves cramped,
30:14the moment I shifted
30:14even a little,
30:16he'd rush over
30:16from the master bedroom
30:17to rub my legs.
30:19Madison came by
30:21to visit.
30:22Watching Elijah
30:23bustle around the kitchen,
30:24she smirked.
30:26Well,
30:27look at that.
30:28He does have
30:29a conscience.
30:32Ava,
30:32have you forgiven him?
30:34I rubbed my belly.
30:37I don't know.
30:40Every time I see him
30:41being good to me,
30:42my mind
30:43can't stop replaying
30:46the way he told me
30:47to get out.
30:49My head and my heart
30:50are out of sync.
30:53Madison sighed
30:54and patted my hand.
30:56Take it slow.
30:58He walked through
30:59death's door
30:59this time too.
31:00A week later,
31:01Elisha put an agreement
31:02in front of me.
31:10I had an independent
31:11family lawyer
31:12look it over.
31:14In this agreement,
31:16he's handed nearly
31:16every decision over to you.
31:22I opened the file.
31:26On the last page,
31:27Elisha had already
31:29signed his name.
31:29From now on,
31:31how we move
31:32our joint assets
31:33is your call.
31:34Your medical decisions,
31:35only you confirm them.
31:36If there's danger again,
31:38I can't cut you off,
31:39lie to you,
31:39or force you
31:40to leave on my own.
31:44And if you choose
31:45to separate or divorce,
31:48I'll move out.
31:50I'll still cover housing,
31:51medical,
31:52and living costs
31:53for you and the baby.
31:59You're not afraid
32:00I'll actually leave?
32:02I am.
32:04But I'm more afraid
32:05of using love
32:06as an excuse
32:08to trap you again.
32:13Something touched my heart,
32:15light as a feather.
32:18A few days later,
32:19St. Matthew held
32:20an internal hearing
32:21on the Victor Cain case.
32:24I hadn't wanted to go.
32:27But Elisha said
32:28he owed me
32:29a public accounting.
32:34So the photos
32:35were all fake.
32:36Who knows?
32:37A federal operation
32:38is one thing.
32:39A marriage is another.
32:49Dr. Hale,
32:51regarding the affair
32:52accusation
32:52you previously filed
32:54in family court,
32:55do you have anything
32:56to add?
32:58The room fell silent.
33:02I do.
33:04Ava White
33:04never betrayed
33:05our marriage.
33:09Those photos
33:10were misdirection
33:11I created
33:11in cooperation
33:12with the federal investigation.
33:14The baby she's carrying
33:16is mine.
33:17Every bit of damage
33:18I did to her reputation,
33:20I take on myself.
33:23Do not pin any
33:24of that stigma
33:25on her again.
33:26If St. Matthew
33:27needs to hold
33:28someone accountable,
33:29come after me.
33:32she's just
33:33an innocent person
33:34I hurt.
33:38On Christmas Day,
33:39snow began
33:40to fall
33:40outside the window.
33:47The doctor said
33:48more protein
33:49is good for the baby.
33:53The baby.
34:04What is it?
34:06Not feeling well?
34:16He just kicked.
34:22May I?
34:27You can.
34:44Hey there,
34:45little guy.
34:47I'm your daddy.
34:52I'm so sorry.
34:54Daddy,
34:55so sorry to you
34:56and to mommy.
35:03The following summer,
35:04inside the delivery room
35:06at St. Matthew's
35:07Medical Center,
35:09with one loud
35:10ringing cry,
35:12utter exhaustion
35:13washed over me,
35:14leaving my body
35:15soaked in sweat.
35:22congratulations.
35:23It's a healthy
35:24baby boy.
35:28Elijah,
35:29the top surgeon
35:30who never lost
35:31his cool,
35:33when a heart
35:34stopped on the
35:34OR table,
35:35was now crying
35:36uncontrollably,
35:39just like a
35:40helpless child.
35:46Elijah didn't reach
35:47for the newborn
35:48in the nurse's
35:49arms first.
35:50Instead,
35:51he dropped to one
35:51knee beside my
35:52delivery bed
35:53and gently,
35:54almost reverently,
35:55took my hand
35:56in both of his.
35:57You did so
35:58amazingly well,
35:59Ava.
36:00I'm so sorry.
36:02I'm so sorry
36:04for putting you
36:04through all of this.
36:07Mrs. White,
36:08you wouldn't
36:09believe it.
36:10Dr. Hale was
36:11pacing back and
36:12forth out in the
36:13hallway like a
36:13madman.
36:14If you didn't
36:15know better,
36:16you'd think he
36:16was going to
36:17scrub in and
36:17deliver the
36:18baby himself.
36:21Why are you
36:22crying?
36:22Go look at
36:23our baby.
36:32He's so small.
36:34Dr. Hale,
36:35you're holding
36:35that baby more
36:36nervously than
36:36a first-year
36:37intern stepping
36:38into the O.R.
36:43Welcome to
36:43the world,
36:44baby.
36:44Thank you for
36:45coming into
36:46our lives.
36:51From that
36:52courtroom storm
36:52to the baby's
36:53birth,
36:54half a year
36:54had passed.
36:56Victor Kane
36:57and the St.
36:57Matthew execs
36:58involved had
36:59been federally
36:59indicted,
37:00corps members
37:01pled guilty,
37:02and the
37:02medical device
37:03group was
37:04fully
37:04investigated.
37:07St. Matthew
37:08went through
37:08a major
37:09overhaul.
37:09As the key
37:10witness in
37:11the federal
37:11medical crime
37:12case,
37:13Elijah submitted
37:13the core
37:14evidence.
37:15The hospital
37:16wanted him
37:16to move
37:17into management.
37:18He turned
37:19it down.
37:20He said
37:21he only wanted
37:22to keep
37:22holding the
37:23scalpel
37:23and to
37:25give more
37:25of his
37:25off hours
37:26to me
37:27and the
37:27baby.
37:37The day
37:38I was
37:38discharged,
37:39Madison
37:40charged into
37:41the room
37:41with a
37:41mountain of
37:42baby supplies.
37:43Let me
37:43see
37:43my
37:44god
37:44son.
37:53Genius
37:54surgery
37:54chief,
37:54do you
37:54have to
37:55look this
37:55serious?
37:56changing
37:56a diaper?
38:15What do
38:16you want
38:16for dinner
38:16tonight?
38:21Alright,
38:21you two are
38:22so sweet.
38:23You're giving
38:23me a toothache.
38:24I'm out.
38:26I'll come
38:27see my
38:27godson
38:28another
38:28day.
38:32After
38:33Madison
38:33left,
38:34the hospital
38:34room fell
38:35quiet.
38:35The baby
38:36slept in
38:36the bastinet,
38:37his tiny
38:37chest rising
38:38under the
38:38blanket.
38:39Elijah sat
38:40beside him,
38:40watching.
38:41Miss White,
38:41we need the
38:42birth certificate
38:42worksheet,
38:43baby's full
38:43name,
38:44father's
38:44information if
38:44you want
38:45it listed.
38:48Elijah stood.
38:50I'll wait
38:50outside.
38:51This should
38:52be your
38:52decision.
38:53Elijah.
38:57are you
38:58leaving because
38:58you respect
38:59me or
38:59because you're
39:00afraid?
39:03His face
39:04went still.
39:05Both.
39:08That answer
39:08was honest
39:09enough to
39:09hurt.
39:12After what I
39:13did, I don't
39:13know what I'm
39:14allowed to be
39:14anymore.
39:15I looked at
39:16Noah.
39:16Elijah had
39:17once taken
39:17choices from
39:18me.
39:18Now guilt
39:19was making
39:19him disappear
39:20from choices
39:20he needed
39:21to face.
39:21I picked
39:22up the
39:23pen.
39:23Under
39:24baby's
39:24name, I
39:25wrote Noah
39:26White Hale.
39:27Elijah's breath
39:28caught.
39:29Then, I
39:30moved to
39:30father's
39:31information.
39:33You don't
39:34get to run
39:34from being
39:35his father
39:35just because
39:36guilt is
39:36easier.
39:38I wrote
39:39his name,
39:40Elijah Hale.
39:45Noah deserves
39:46a father who
39:46stays.
39:48I
39:48know.
39:53I'll
39:54stay, however
39:55you let
39:55me.
39:56Only then
39:57did he place
39:57another document
39:58beside the
39:58birth certificate.
40:00My lawyer
40:01prepared the
40:01stipulation to
40:02dismiss the
40:02divorce petition.
40:03I signed
40:04it.
40:05I looked at
40:05the two
40:06papers.
40:07One began
40:07Noah's life.
40:09One stopped
40:10our marriage
40:10from ending.
40:11I signed
40:12the dismissal.
40:16File it
40:16tomorrow.
40:17Then we
40:17bring Noah
40:18home.
40:24home?
40:31Yes.
40:32Home.
40:33A new
40:34beginning.
40:45The next
40:46afternoon, we
40:47brought Noah
40:47home.
40:48Elijah carried
40:49the car seat
40:50inside like it
40:51held a bomb.
40:52Relax.
40:53He's not
40:54going to
40:54break.
40:55I've
40:56repaired
40:56hearts with
40:57less pressure.
40:58I almost
40:59laughed.
40:59Noah made
41:00a small
41:01angry sound.
41:02Elijah
41:03straightened.
41:06Diaper?
41:08Maybe.
41:10I can
41:10do it.
41:18You
41:18sure?
41:19I watched
41:20three videos.
41:21terrifying.
41:30Elijah, he's
41:31your son, not
41:32a patient.
41:33Patients don't
41:33kick this much.
41:39I stared at him, then
41:41burst out laughing.
41:43A real laugh.
41:45Elijah looked down at
41:46his soap shirt, then
41:48at Noah.
41:49Betrayal by my own
41:50bloodline.
41:52I laughed harder.
41:54For the first time in
41:56months, the room didn't
41:57feel heavy.
41:58It felt alive.
42:01I missed that sound.
42:04I missed that sound.
42:04My laughter faded.
42:06Our eyes met.
42:08Noah fussed again.
42:10I stepped beside Elijah
42:11and adjusted the clean
42:12diaper.
42:13Here, fold it like this.
42:15This time, I didn't pull
42:17away.
42:18I handed him a clean
42:19onesie.
42:20Finish dressing your son,
42:21Dr. Hale.
42:24Elijah smiled through
42:25red eyes.
42:27Yes, ma'am.
42:34That night, I woke to
42:36Noah's soft cry from the
42:37living room.
42:39Elijah's nervous voice came
42:41through the dark.
42:43Okay, little man.
42:44Diaper duty.
42:46We trained for this.
42:47I walked to the doorway.
42:50I know.
42:51Terrible service.
42:53One star review.
42:55Despite myself, I smiled.
43:01Left tabs higher.
43:05Did I wake you?
43:07Noah did.
43:14But you survived.
43:15Elijah looked at Noah,
43:16then at me.
43:18Barely.
43:20Noah calmed in his arms.
43:23For once, Elijah didn't
43:25look like he was begging
43:26forgiveness.
43:27He just looked like a
43:28tired father trying to
43:30stay.
43:33I'll stay out here.
43:34You should sleep.
43:37I looked at his
43:38exhausted face.
43:41Bring him in.
43:45Noah sleeps better when
43:47you hum.
43:48And I sleep better when
43:50he's close.
43:52Elijah's voice roughened.
43:55Are you sure?
43:58About tonight, yes.
44:03Three months later, we took
44:05Noah to the park by the
44:06lake.
44:07It was early autumn.
44:09The air smelled like rain
44:10and fallen leaves.
44:12Noah slept in the stroller,
44:14his little gray hat sliding
44:16over one eye.
44:18Dr. Hale, very busy today?
44:20Elijah smiled.
44:22Husband and father, full-time
44:25positions.
44:26I looked at him.
44:28You're getting better at
44:30both.
44:30His smile softened.
44:33We walked to the water.
44:35The city shimmered across
44:36the lake.
44:37For a while, neither of us
44:39spoke.
44:40Then Elijah took a small
44:42velvet box from his pocket.
44:44My old wedding ring lay
44:45inside.
44:46My breath caught.
44:50The day I took this off, I
44:52hurt you with it.
44:54I can't undo that.
44:58But if you're willing,
45:01I want to put it back on you
45:02the right way.
45:03I looked at the ring.
45:05Then at the man in front of
45:06me.
45:07He no longer looked like the
45:08man who had once pushed me
45:10away.
45:10He looked like the man who
45:11had spent three months
45:13learning how to stay.
45:15Elijah.
45:18I held out my left hand.
45:23asked me properly.
45:25His eyes filled with tears.
45:33Ava White, will you give me
45:35the chance to love you better
45:36this time?
45:37My throat tightened.
45:40Yes.
45:44Elijah lowered his head and
45:46kissed my hand.
45:48Noah stirred in the stroller.
45:51I laughed softly.
45:54Your son approves.
45:56Elijah smiled through tears.
46:03Let's go home.
46:05I looked at our joined hands.
46:07Together.
46:17Ah.
46:17Yeah.
46:21Yeah.
46:32Yeah.
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