Mom made tea.
“You knew,” I said.
She sighed.
begged me not to tell you because he was ashamed of why he first came back.”
I rubbed my temples.
“So our relationship started because he thought he owed us something?”
I stared at her.
Mom reached across the table.
“Rachel, I helped his parents because they needed it. I didn’t do it so he’d spend the rest of his life paying me back.”
I looked down at my bare wedding finger.
“Then what am I supposed to do?”
“Whatever you want.”
“That’s helpful.”
She smiled a little.
Then her expression softened.
“You don’t owe him a marriage because I helped his family.”
I nodded.
“And he doesn’t owe me his life because I helped them.”
That stopped me.
Mom squeezed my hand.
“He was wrong to hide it. But don’t confuse why he found you with why he stayed.”
That stopped
me.
***
Ben didn’t call that night.
He sent one text the following morning.
“I’m at Mark’s. I won’t come over unless you ask.”
I asked him to meet me on Sunday at the diner where we’d first had coffee.
***
He looked exhausted.
I placed my ring on the table.
His eyes dropped to it.
“I need the whole truth.”
“I found you because of your mom. I wanted to thank her and apologize to you. I thought maybe if I could help your family, I’d feel less ashamed.”
“Then why keep dating me?”
His eyes met mine.
“Because somewhere along the way, it stopped being about guilt. You made me laugh. You challenged me. You didn’t let me turn apologizing into some grand performance.”
My husband glanced at the ring.
“I didn’t marry you because Linda helped my family.”
“Then why wait until
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