“I’m bringing Caleb by soon, and I just need to feel more comfortable, with everything that’s going on. She’s been constantly evaluated and she’s going through therapy. But there’s still something that isn’t right.”

“What’s her doctor saying?”

“That she has some kind of complex amnesia, and we have to take it one day at a time.” Jax picked up a paper clip and started to bend it.

“But you don’t believe her?”

“I want to.” Jax twisted the thin metal until it broke. “But there’s this nagging voice in my head telling me there’s more going on here. What if she’s lying to control me?”

“What’s to control? You separated and she’s the one who filed for divorce.”

“Maybe she doesn’t want me with Meredith.” Jax filed through the many other reasons. “She could be doing this to make sure I don’t go anywhere with Caleb.”

“You wouldn’t do that anyway.” She didn’t say anything, just stared at the metal in her hands. “Jax?”

She dropped the clip on her desk and sat back. “Once, when we were fighting, I told her that I would leave and take Caleb with me. That she was constantly working and made so little time for him that she’d never get custody.”

“Oh my God.”

“I know. It was disgusting, and I regretted it immediately, but I never told her. I let her believe I would do it, so now I’m wondering if she’s doing this to keep me around.”

Wyatt blew out a long breath. “I’ve known you and Gretchen for a long time, and even though you’ve been like a stranger lately, I think I still know you pretty well.”

Jax fought back an apology. Wyatt made his point and she knew it was time to shut up and listen.

“You wouldn’t take Caleb from Gretchen. I know that, and deep down Gretchen knows that, too,” Wyatt said with more confidence than Jax had felt in a while. “Just like how deep down you know Gretchen isn’t faking any of this, but I’ll still stop by anyway.”

Jax closed her eyes. “Thank you.”

“Now I have to go because Carly is hungry, and I promised her hot and sour soup from the one Chinese food place in the area that doesn’t deliver.”

“You’re a gem.” Jax smiled and said a quick good-bye. She focused on her work for only so long before picking up her cell phone. The least she could do was give Gretchen a heads-up that she was planning on bringing Caleb by, but she thought for a minute before typing out the message to Amanda. It would be much harder for Gretchen to say no to her face. Jax decided a lunchtime rendezvous at the hospital was in order.

* * *