Free His Other Wife by Deborah Bradford Page A

newest high-school graduate. The Wynns and Myerses took photos of every imaginable combo of family: Seth and Hilary. Seth
     and Hilary and Eric. Eric and Pam and Seth with the kids. Eric surrounded by grandparents.
    They filtered from the stadium into the parking lot to find that the traditional picnic had already been laid, with leaning
     towers of paper plates, orange coolers of lemonade, mountains of chicken. As Hilary helped her mother fill a plate, Seth’s
     classmates weren’t standing too far from them. Cameras flashed from every direction. Friends hugged. About half of the boys
     had kept on their gowns for pictures. Seth had lost his gown but was still marching around in his cap, the black dress pants
     Hilary had practically had to pay him to wear, his tie, which was loosened clear past the third button of his shirt, and his
     flip-flop sandals.
    Even as Hilary shook her head at her son’s attire, she admired how he interacted with his peers. The way he drew Emily close,
     a possessive gesture that made Emily stand taller and smile. The way he cuffed Remy on the shoulder. The way Seth greeted
     his principal and shook his proffered hand.
    Emily whirled away once more, caught in a new round of hugs and laughter, each of the girls so fresh-faced and beautiful that
     she made Hilary’s heart ache. Suddenly Hilary saw Lily, a flash of white skirt and hot pink Crocs darting among a forest
     of lanky teenager legs. Lily yanked Seth’s tie to get his attention. Once Seth spotted his sister, he didn’t hesitate. He
     swept her into his arms.
    By the rapt expression on her face, she had been swept into the arms of a prince. As the two talked eye-to-eye, Lily’s nose
     almost touching Seth’s, Lily draped her small hand, no larger than a maple leaf, over Seth’s shoulder.
    Seth swept off his cap and set it sideways on Lily’s head.
    What happened next was instantaneous, so unexpected and sweet that Hilary felt like she was privy to something she almost
     wasn’t supposed to see. She watched as Seth carried Lily to a parked car and showed Lily her reflection in the window. Seth
     righted the hat on the little girl’s head. Lily’s bottom lip protruded as she pondered her reflection.
    “How cute is that ?” Hilary heard Eric ask.
    Hilary admitted that she was one of those Christians who forgot about God sometimes. She’d roll along with her morning, steeping
     her hot tea, watching the clock, hollering at Seth to get moving or he wouldn’t have time to take his shower. She’d check
     phone messages, pitch a load of clothes into the washer, follow her own plans. Then something would come along that reminded
     her of the bigness of things, God’s nearness, her own helplessness, a sharp, stunning revelation. This became one of those
     moments, something she couldn’t miss. A fist tightened in Hilary’s chest, as she saw how happy Seth was with his sister, when
     the girl’s existence brought Hilary so much pain.

Chapter 6
    H ilary was standing a few yards past the teeter-totters when a woman approached, extended her hand, and introduced herself
     as Abigail Moore, Laura’s mother.
    “Oh, hello.” Hilary gripped Abigail’s hand and nodded. “I know Laura.” Probably more than you do . Once again, Hilary prided herself on being the parent whom all the boys could talk to. “She’s on the track team, isn’t
     she?”
    “She runs mid-distance. And the sixteen-hundred relay.”
    “I loved the shots of her in the senior video. The boys had such fun putting those in.”
    “Is Seth responsible for acquiring that toothless-wonder picture? She’s ready to kill him for that. Those second-grade photos.
     They bring back such memories.”
    “They do for all of us,” Hilary said.
    “My daughter thinks your son and his friends are the best. I’m glad she’s met them through Emily.”
    “Seth speaks highly of Laura, too.” Laura’s hot , he’d said yesterday. Remy missed out. Hilary had no experience,