Chapter 12 - Daniel's Last Bargain)
Daniel asked to meet on January fourth.
Through attorneys.
Neutral location.
No private contact.
Rebecca advised against it unless Claire wanted the meeting.
Claire surprised everyone.
"I want it."
Rachel objected.
"You owe him nothing."
"I know."
"Then why?"
Claire looked at her sister.
"Because I want to hear what he says when he can't control the room."
The meeting took place in Rebecca's conference room.
Daniel arrived with his attorney.
Claire sat beside Rebecca.
Her leg remained in the stabilizing boot.
Her pregnancy made every chair uncomfortable.
Daniel looked thinner.
Tired.
For one dangerous second, Claire felt sorry for him.
Then she remembered his hand over her mouth.
Compassion did not require access.
Daniel sat.
His attorney began.
"We're here to explore resolution."
Rebecca nodded.
Daniel looked at Claire.
"I miss you."
Claire said nothing.
He continued.
"I miss our home."
Nothing.
"The nursery."
Claire's face remained still.
"Our son."
"We don't know if it's a son."
Daniel blinked.
He had always called the baby a boy.
Margaret did too.
They preferred certainty.
Daniel lowered his eyes.
"Our child."
Claire waited.
His attorney spoke.
"Daniel is willing to temporarily step away from financial management and attend counseling."
Claire almost laughed.
Temporarily.
Daniel leaned forward.
"I made mistakes."
Rebecca said, "Specify."
Daniel looked irritated.
His attorney touched his arm.
Daniel exhaled.
"I shouldn't have taken Claire's phone."
Claire waited.
"I shouldn't have let Mom delete messages."
Claire's eyes sharpened.
"You knew."
He froze.
"You said at the garage you didn't know."
"I found out later."
"When?"
Daniel hesitated.
Claire looked at Rebecca.
Then back at him.
"When?"
"Before Rachel arrived."
Claire felt sick.
He knew.
He had pretended surprise.
Daniel rushed on.
"And the cart was stupid."
Stupid.
Not degrading.
Not coercive.
Stupid.
Claire asked, "Why didn't you take me to the hospital?"
Daniel's face changed.
There was the true question.
He looked toward his attorney.
Rebecca said, "He may answer or decline."
Daniel rubbed his hands together.
"Because I thought it wasn't serious."
"I told you it was."
"You were upset."
"I told you I couldn't walk."
"You exaggerate when you're stressed."
Claire nodded slowly.
"And there it is."
"What?"
"The reason."
Daniel frowned.
Claire leaned forward.
"You didn't take me because you had already decided my perception of my own body was less reliable than your opinion."
"That's not fair."
"It is exactly fair."
Daniel looked frustrated.
"I was under enormous pressure."
"From a Christmas party?"
"From everything."
His voice rose.
"The business was collapsing. You were asking questions. Mom was panicking. Clients were at the house. My boss was there."
Claire went still.
There.
He heard himself too late.
Rebecca looked at Daniel's attorney.
His attorney closed his eyes briefly.
Claire asked, "Why would clients being there matter?"
Daniel did not answer.
"Because you didn't want me asking about money."
"Claire."
"You had been telling people I was paranoid."
"I was worried about you."
"You were building an explanation in advance."
Daniel shook his head.
"No."
"You told Nathan."
"He misunderstood."
"You told Margaret."
"She already knew you were stressed."
"You changed banking passwords."
"For security."
"You signed my name."
Daniel's face hardened.
"It was for our family."
Claire stared at him.
He continued.
"The company was supposed to work. If you'd trusted me for another six months, none of this would matter."
Rebecca wrote something down.
Claire almost smiled.
Daniel realized.
"Don't twist that."
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
Not sadness.
Recognition.
The phrase.
Again.
Always.
Don't twist that.
Meaning do not repeat my own words back in a way that exposes them.
Claire leaned back.
"I'm done."
Daniel panicked.
"Wait."
She began gathering her papers.
"Claire, I love you."
She stopped.
Daniel's eyes were wet.
Perhaps sincerely.
That made it harder.
"I do."
Claire looked at him.
"I believe you."
He froze.
Rebecca looked surprised.
Claire continued.
"I believe you love me in whatever way you're capable of loving me."
Daniel swallowed.
"Then come home."
Claire shook her head.
"But your love requires control."
"No."
"It requires me to doubt myself so you can stay comfortable."
"That's not true."
"It requires me to keep your secrets."
"Claire."
"It requires me to apologize when you hurt me."
He stared.
Claire placed both hands over her belly.
"I don't want our child learning that."
Daniel's face collapsed.
Claire stood carefully with Rebecca's help.
Daniel spoke quickly.
"What about custody?"
The room changed.
There it was.
Not goodbye.
Custody.
Leverage.
Claire looked at him.
"We'll handle it legally."
"I'm the father."
"Yes."
"You can't keep my child from me."
"I didn't say I would."
"Rachel wants to."
Claire almost smiled.
"You still think Rachel is the reason I'm leaving."
Daniel said nothing.
Claire picked up her crutches.
"No, Daniel."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"You are."
May you like
Then she walked out.
It was the last private conversation they ever had.
