His lawyer tried to argue it was “a misunderstanding about paperwork.”

The judge was not amused.

He pleaded guilty in April. Three years in prison and full restitution.

Hailey’s marriage was declared void. She went back to her maiden name, Rourke. So did her daughter.

I went back to my maiden name, Ashby. So did my son, Elliot. I didn’t want either of us carrying Jared’s name.

Elliot came home from the NICU after five weeks. Hailey’s daughter, Maya, came home the same week.

We started meeting on Saturdays at a park halfway between Raleigh and Greensboro.

Two moms. Two babies. One terrible man, and no reason left to be strangers.

Elliot and Maya are brother and sister. They’ll grow up knowing that.

Last month, at Maya’s first birthday party, Hailey raised a glass of lemonade.

“To Natalie,” she said. “The dead wife who saved my life.”

Everybody laughed. Then we both cried.

THE END.