Chapter 1: The Secret Behind the Pink Dress
"Mommy, why is Aunt Claire pretending there's a baby in her tummy?""
My four-year-old daughter asked the question in front of forty people.
Thirty seconds later, my brother's $12,000 baby shower had turned into the most humiliating afternoon our family had ever experienced.
I was standing beside the dessert table at a country club in Dallas, Texas, holding a glass of sparkling water when Sophie tugged at my dress.
Across the room, my sister-in-law, Claire, sat beneath an enormous balloon arch. Gold letters spelled BABY ON THE WAY above her head. Pink roses covered the tables, tiny teddy bears decorated the centerpieces, and a three-tier cake stood beside a tower of expensive champagne glasses.
Claire looked every inch the expectant mother.
Her pale pink maternity dress stretched over a perfectly round belly. One hand rested protectively on it while the other held a glass of sparkling cider.
My brother, Daniel, stood beside her, smiling at every guest who congratulated him.
He had spent nearly $12,000 preparing for this baby.
He'd sold his beloved Harley-Davidson motorcycle to pay for the nursery furniture Claire wanted. He'd painted the walls himself, assembled an expensive crib, and worked overtime at his construction management company to make sure his wife and their child would have everything they needed.
For seven months, he'd believed he was going to become a father.
And now my four-year-old daughter was pointing at his wife's stomach.
I crouched beside Sophie.
"Sweetheart, what did you say?""
She looked at me with her enormous brown eyes.
"There's no baby in Aunt Claire's tummy.""
My smile disappeared.
Around us, conversations began to fade.
A woman holding a cupcake stopped halfway through taking a bite. Someone near the windows turned around.
Claire's expression hardened.
"What did you just say?"" she demanded.
Sophie immediately grabbed my arm.
I tried to laugh.
"I'm sorry, everyone. She's four. Sometimes children say things without understanding what they're saying.""
"But Mommy, I saw it!""
Sophie pointed across the room.
"I saw her take her tummy off!""
A few guests laughed nervously.
Claire didn't.
Her cheeks turned crimson.
"Emily, control your daughter!""
Daniel turned toward his wife.
"Claire, relax. She's a little kid.""
"Then make her stop!""
My mother, Margaret, hurried over.
She was wearing a cream-colored dress and the diamond necklace she'd received from my late father.
"Emily, you need to apologize immediately. This is Claire's special day.""
I looked at my mother.
"Mom, Sophie is upset. I'm trying to understand what she saw.""
"She's embarrassing everyone!""
Claire stood so quickly that her chair scraped against the hardwood floor.
"I will not sit here while your daughter invents disgusting stories about my pregnancy!""
Daniel raised one hand.
"Claire, sit down.""
She stared at him.
"Excuse me?""
"I said sit down. Let's hear what Sophie has to say.""
My brother had always been the peacemaker.
When our cousins argued, he apologized to both sides. When our mother became unreasonable, he changed the subject. When Claire complained about something, he usually gave in just to keep the peace.
But something in his voice had changed.
Sophie buried her face in my neck.
Then she whispered.
"Aunt Claire went into the bathroom. She took a red pillow out of her big bag.""
Claire shook her head.
"No. That's ridiculous.""
Sophie continued.
"She put it under her dress. Then she pulled two straps around her back.""
The room became painfully quiet.
Daniel looked directly at his wife.
"Is that true?""
"Of course not!""
"Then what did Sophie see?""
"She's four, Daniel! Four-year-olds have imaginary friends. They say ridiculous things!""
Sophie began crying.
I held her tighter.
"Don't shout at her.""
Claire pointed at me.
"You're encouraging this! You've always been jealous because Daniel finally has the family he deserves.""
I stared at her.
Jealous?
I'd helped Daniel choose the house he and Claire lived in. I'd driven him to the emergency room after his motorcycle accident years ago. I'd even spent three weekends organizing Claire's nursery.
I'd bought the baby monitor.
I'd helped assemble the rocking chair.
I'd embroidered a little blanket with the words WELCOME HOME, LITTLE ONE.
And now I was apparently jealous.
Before I could answer, Sophie pulled away from my shoulder.
"Mommy, I have something.""
She reached into the little pocket of her cardigan.
Then she pulled out a folded plastic wrapper.
"I found it on the bathroom floor when Aunt Claire dropped it.""
Claire's expression changed.
Not embarrassment.
Fear.
"Give me that!"" she shouted.
She lunged toward Sophie.
Daniel stepped between them.
"Claire! What are you doing?""
"That's mine!""
He took the wrapper from Sophie's tiny hand.
For several seconds, he stared at it.
Then he unfolded the label.
Printed in large black letters were the words:
ARTIFICIAL PREGNANCY BELLY — ADJUSTABLE FOAM INSERT.
Nobody moved.
The air conditioner hummed overhead.
Somewhere in the restaurant, a glass shattered.
Daniel read the words again.
Then he looked at his wife.
"Claire...""
She immediately started crying.
"It's not what you think.""
He held up the wrapper.
"Then explain it.""
"It's something I ordered for a friend.""
"A friend?""
"Yes!""
Daniel glanced at the enormous stomach beneath her pink dress.
"Why would your friend need an artificial pregnancy belly?""
Claire wiped her cheeks.
"Because she's embarrassed about her body! I was helping her!""
Sophie looked confused.
"But Mommy, I saw Aunt Claire wearing it.""
Claire turned toward her.
"STOP TALKING!""
My daughter screamed.
I stepped forward.
"Don't you dare shout at my child again.""
Daniel's face had gone pale.
"Where are the ultrasound pictures, Claire?""
She froze.
He continued.
"The ones you've been showing me on your phone. Where are the originals?""
"I told you. My doctor keeps them.""
"Then give me the doctor's name.""
"Daniel, please. Not here.""
He stared at her.
"Seven months, Claire. Seven months you've told me our baby was growing inside you.""
My mother stepped between them.
"Daniel, don't humiliate your wife. Whatever this is, you can discuss it privately.""
He turned toward her.
"Mom, did you know?""
Her mouth opened.
Then closed.
That was when Sophie gently tugged my sleeve.
"Mommy?""
I looked down.
"What is it, sweetheart?""
She pointed toward the private-room door.
"The lady who gave Aunt Claire the red tummy is here.""
Every head turned.
Claire stopped crying.
Daniel slowly lowered the wrapper.
"Who gave her the stomach?""
Before Sophie could answer, the private-room door began to open.
A woman's voice came from the hallway.
"Claire? Are you ready? I brought the other one you asked me to keep in the car.""
The woman stepped into the room.
She was in her early forties, wearing a navy blazer and carrying a large black handbag.
Her eyes moved from Daniel to the wrapper in his hand.
Then she stopped.
"Oh," she whispered.
Daniel took one step forward.
"Who are you?""
The woman looked at Claire.
Claire shook her head almost imperceptibly.
But the woman had already made a terrible mistake.
She looked at Daniel and said, "You're not supposed to be here yet.""
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"Supposed to be where?""
The woman lowered her bag.
And Claire began screaming.
"Angela, GET OUT!""
But Daniel had already recognized the name printed on the business card sticking out of her handbag.
May you like
It was the name of a fertility clinic.
And suddenly, the artificial belly wasn't the only thing he wanted an explanation for.
