"Dad, I can explain everything." "Then start talking," Claire said.
Ethan rubbed both hands over his face. His birthday watch sat wrapped in silver paper five feet away. Behind him the banner declared HAPPY BIRTHDAY in bright gold letters. The absurd cheerfulness of the room made everything crueler.
"Vanessa and I work together," he said. "We know that part now," Claire replied. "We got close." "How close?"
He hesitated. Vanessa exhaled in frustration. "Ethan." Claire pointed at her without looking away from him. "Don't help him."
Vanessa's face flushed. "I'm not trying to help him. I'm trying to understand what he told me."
"You knew he was married." "Yes." The honesty of that answer hit Claire harder than a lie would have. "You knew?"
Vanessa looked down for the first time. "He said it was over." Claire turned back toward Ethan. "Was it?"
"No." "Did you tell her it was?" Ethan swallowed. "I told her we were having problems."
Vanessa gave a short, disbelieving laugh. "You told me you were staying together only because of the house and because you didn't want to hurt your families before the holidays." Natalie whispered, "Oh my God." Margaret closed her eyes.
Claire stared at Ethan so steadily that he finally looked away. "Is that what you told her?" "It wasn't like that." "She just told me exactly what you said."
"I was trying to explain where my head was." "Your head?" "Claire, please." "Do not ask me to make this easier for you."
The room erupted after that.
Mason demanded to know how long the affair had been happening. Natalie asked Ethan whether he had lost his mind. Margaret told everyone to stop shouting, then immediately shouted at Ethan herself. Vanessa said she had never agreed to be part of a marriage and demanded to know what else Ethan had lied about. Thomas stood near the fireplace with both hands on his hips, staring at his son as if trying to recognize a stranger wearing Ethan's face.
Ethan raised both hands. "Stop, both of you. Everybody, just stop."
Claire's voice cut through the overlap. "In front of my family? On your birthday?"
"I didn't know you were here." The instant he said it, he knew it was the wrong defense.
Claire's eyes widened. "That's your answer? You didn't know I'd catch you?"
"That's not what I meant."