“He saw the apartment and got upset. I gave him the key so he’d know he had a home with me too.”
“Then tell him the truth.”
“Not for me,” I said, tapping Ben’s note. “For him.”
“Then tell him the truth.”
***
We moved into the living room, and I took the chair across from Adam and Tara.
Adam looked at Ben first.
“Your mom and I need to explain something we’ve handled badly.”
Ben lowered his eyes. “Is it about your apartment?”
Adam froze.
“Is it about your apartment?”
Ben looked at the key on the table. “I hid that when Dad asked about my bag that morning. I was going to get it before we left.”
Tara turned toward him. “You knew Dad had an apartment?”
Sophie looked between them. “I knew Dad wasn’t staying here. I just thought it was because you were still fighting.”
Adam rubbed his palms against his jeans.
“I was going to get it before we left.”
“It is because we’ve been fighting. We decided I should stay somewhere else for a while so we could figure out what happens next.”
Sophie frowned. “So when you say you’re going home after you visit us, you mean the apartment?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me that?”
Adam didn’t have an easy answer.
Tara reached for Sophie’s hand. “We thought waiting until we understood what we were doing would make this easier for you.”
“It didn’t.”
“No,” she said quietly. “It didn’t.”
Then Sophie looked at Ben.
“You knew all summer?”
Ben nodded again.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Dad told me not to worry you.”
Adam finally seemed to understand.
“You’re right. I should’ve told you enough that you didn’t have to guess.”
Sophie swallowed. “Are you getting divorced?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“We don’t know yet. We’re trying to figure that out.”
“And Dad might not come back?”
