Chapter 3 - The Price of Survival
Richard and Diane arrived on Mara’s fourth day in the hospital.
They brought no flowers.
Richard carried a briefcase.
Diane entered first, smiling too brightly.
“We came as soon as we could.”
Mara looked at them from the hospital bed.
“Nine calls.”
Diane’s smile disappeared.
“What?”
“The hospital called nine times.”
Richard placed his briefcase on the visitor’s chair.
“We knew the doctors were handling it.”
“You didn’t know that. You didn’t even know whether I survived surgery.”
Richard sighed as though Mara were being unreasonable.
“This isn’t the time for accusations. There are important financial matters to discuss.”
He opened the briefcase and removed several documents.
The insurance company had contacted Mara’s emergency address while she was unconscious. A preliminary compensation offer had been issued, but only Mara could accept it.
Richard had prepared a family management agreement.
Under its terms, Mara would grant him control over the settlement, authorize him to manage her finances during recovery, and transfer temporary ownership of the small house she had inherited from her grandmother.
The word temporary appeared several times.
The transfer itself was permanent.
Mara read the first page twice.
“You want my settlement and my house?”
“We want to protect you,” Diane said.
“From what?”
Richard’s expression hardened.
“From making emotional decisions while medicated.”
Mara pushed the documents away.
“No.”
Richard leaned closer.
“You owe us.”
“For what?”
“For raising you. For feeding you. For giving you opportunities.”
Mara stared at him.
“You’re describing the minimum responsibility of being a parent.”
Diane whispered her name in warning.
Richard gathered the documents.
“You’re confused. We’ll discuss this when you’re discharged.”
May you like
As they left, Mara noticed something terrifying.
Neither parent asked how long her recovery would take.
