“The article.”
“Yes.”
“You saw I survived.”
“Of course I knew you survived.”
“You saw the settlement mentioned.”
Her face hardened.
“I saw that you had received financial help.”
There it was.
Not even disguised well.
Noah stared at her.
“What do you need?”
Diane drew herself upright.
“I did not say I needed anything.”
“Then say you don’t.”
“I came because I thought perhaps we could be family again.”
“Without me being gay?”
Her lips thinned.
“This is exactly what I meant. Everything becomes confrontation.”
Noah put one hand flat on the table.
“You came because of money.”
“I came because I am your mother.”
“You were my mother when I was in surgery.”
Diane flinched.
Noah continued.
“You were my mother when Leah called and told you I might die.”
“She was hysterical.”
“She was telling the truth.”
“I had no way of knowing what condition you were in.”
“You could have asked.”
Her eyes moved to the scar again.
