Edie tried to recall: How long had it been since she’d texted Claudia? Day and night ran together in a series of three-hour loops: feed then burp then diaper then swaddle then an hour of sleep, maybe two, then start again. Gabe traded shifts with Nathan, rocking and changing, but Edie was the only one who could feed Lydia. Unless they gave up and switched to formula. That’s how the pediatrician put it. A lot of women give up these days. And the lactation consultant, too: Don’t give up! I know you can do it! They’d just said goodbye to the consultant when Michelle came by with her urgent news that had to be delivered in person. Nathan was at the kitchen island clicking away on the laptop, trying to get same-day delivery of all the things the woman recommended: pads and pump and pillow, supplements, swaddle, noise machine, night light. Lydia, exhausted from the fight to eat, was asleep in the bassinet. They’d been to the pediatrician twice and the little girl was underweight. Hours and hours, days in the new rocking chair, or propped up against the headboard, bent over with her daughter sucking, and it wasn’t enough. She shouldn’t have done this. Her body was telling her she shouldn’t have done this.

And now here came her mom with news that apparently required another sit-down.

“Like I said, I was hoping Claudia would be here, too,” said Michelle. “But she hasn’t answered. I’ve already talked to your father.” She paused. “I’ve been seeing someone. Casually. But, apparently, we’ve been photographed together, and the Post is going to run an item. Probably tomorrow.”

“An item?”

“It’s ridiculous. Obviously, a slow news week. But there’s nothing we can do about it. Which is why I’m telling you. I really don’t mean to upset you right now. I know this is tough.”

“Do you?”

“I don’t want to fight, Eden. I know this isn’t what you wanted. But it’s not so bad, is it? And I know that lactation woman probably gave you a whole bunch of guilt shit, but you don’t have to breastfeed. Lydia will be just fine either way.”

“Everybody breastfeeds.”

“That’s not true.”

“If you can breastfeed, I can breastfeed.”

“I didn’t breastfeed.”

“Yes, you did.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You told us you did.”

“I lied,” said her mom. “It was hard and I was lazy and I gave up. I wanted you to think I’d done it. I wanted to have done it.”

Edie almost laughed. “You lied about breastfeeding?”

Michelle shrugged. “It’s not my proudest moment. I’m coming clean now.”

“Does Claudia know?”

“About me and Ridley?”

Edie’s heart jumped. “What?”

“Oh, you mean about breastfeeding? I doubt it.”

“Ridley?”