He wanted the homecoming to be a surprise.
His suitcase was packed with presents: a soft rabbit for the baby, a silver necklace for Claire, chocolates for his mother, a toy race car for his nephew, and a small wooden music box he had found at a Christmas market.
He pictured himself arriving at their Oak Park, Illinois home just before midnight.
He imagined his mother, Diane, heating soup in the kitchen. His sister, Brooke, would likely be decorating cupcakes while her husband, Jason, watched football. Their eight-year-old son, Ben, would be pleading to stay awake until midnight.
Most of all, Ethan imagined Claire finally getting to rest while someone else cared for the baby.
He had made careful arrangements before leaving Germany.
He transferred $9,000 to his mother to cover groceries, medication, transportation, formula, and anything Claire might need. He also gave Diane temporary access to an emergency credit card.
A postpartum nurse had been scheduled to visit every morning for two weeks.
Groceries were supposed to arrive twice each week.
The freezer had been filled with homemade meals.
“Don’t worry about Claire,” Diane had assured him over the phone. “I’ll treat her like my own daughter.”
Brooke had promised the same thing.
“You focus on finishing your assignment,” she said. “We’ve got everything under control.”
