Chapter 11 - Daniel Finally Asked Why
Daniel sat on the stone wall overlooking the lake.
The suitcases remained near the front door. Vanessa stood beside her mother, making urgent calls. Robert had driven away after Evelyn advised everyone not to stop him.
Margaret approached her son.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Across the water, a fishing boat moved slowly toward the western shore.
Daniel looked older than he had that morning.
“Did Dad really leave everything to you?” he asked.
Margaret sat beside him.
“The house, yes.”
“Why?”
“Because it was ours.”
“Uncle Robert said Grandpa paid for most of it.”
“Your grandfather loaned Henry part of the deposit. Henry repaid him within four years.”
“Is there proof?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you show me?”
“You never asked me. You asked Robert.”
Daniel rubbed his hands together.
“I thought Dad wanted me to have it.”
“He might have wanted you to enjoy it. He never said it should be transferred to you.”
“Did he think I was irresponsible?”
Margaret considered the question.
“He thought you trusted people because confronting them made you uncomfortable.”
Daniel looked toward Vanessa.
“He meant her.”
“He meant everyone.”
“Even you?”
“Especially me.”
Daniel gave a bitter laugh.
“I let her remove you from Dad’s dinner.”
“Yes.”
“I told you the house wasn’t your home.”
“Yes.”
“I threatened to change the locks.”
Margaret looked toward the new brass lock on the front door.
“Yes.”
Daniel’s voice cracked.
“Why didn’t you warn me about the sale?”
“I warned you that I would decide what happened to my property.”
“That isn’t the same.”
“No. It isn’t.”
He faced her.
“Did you want to hurt me?”
Margaret did not answer immediately.
“I wanted you to feel the consequence of your choice.”
“That sounds like yes.”
“It hurt me to sell this house. It hurt me to remove your belongings. It hurt me to read Lily’s message asking whether she was still allowed to love me.”
Daniel lowered his eyes.
“I didn’t know about that.”
“You did not want to know.”
The words landed between them.
Daniel did not argue.
Margaret continued.
“Every time Vanessa pushed me away, you called it protecting your marriage. Every time she asked me to pay, you called it helping the children. You changed the meaning of every situation so you would never have to choose.”
“And now?”
“Now the choice has been made for you.”
Daniel watched Vanessa pace beside the driveway.
“What happens to her?”
“That depends on what she did.”
“You believe she forged your signature.”
“I believe she participated in a plan to take my property.”
“She says Robert handled the documents.”
“Vanessa signed a contract promising something she did not own.”
Daniel pressed his palms against his face.
“Where are we supposed to go?”
“Your mother-in-law has a home.”
Celia overheard from across the driveway.
“My condominium has one bedroom.”
Margaret looked at her.
“You helped pay for their three-week resort.”
“That was a gift.”
“Then perhaps offer them a different gift.”
Celia turned away.
Daniel stared at the storage receipt.
“One month.”
“What?”
“You only paid the storage for one month.”
“Yes.”
“You could have paid longer.”
“I could have continued paying for everything.”
He understood.
Margaret had not removed the support to be cruel.
She had removed it because Daniel had mistaken support for obligation.
“Is there any way to reverse the sale?” he asked.
“No.”
“Even if Vanessa’s contract causes problems?”
“The Mercers have valid ownership.”
Daniel looked toward Elise and Jonah. They had returned to the doorway, giving the family as much privacy as possible.
“Will they destroy the house?”
“No.”
“They’re keeping Dad’s table?”
“Yes.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“At least that survives.”
Margaret stood.
“Your father’s memory was never inside the deed.”
Daniel looked up.
“I think I forgot that.”
Vanessa approached before Margaret could answer.
“We need to leave.”
Daniel remained seated.
“Where?”
“My mother found a hotel.”
“For how long?”
“Until we fix this.”
“There is no fixing the sale.”
“There is if your mother admits she acted out of revenge.”
Margaret said nothing.
Daniel rose.
“My mother didn’t sign your contract.”
Vanessa’s expression sharpened.
“Robert told me it would be handled.”
“Handled how?”
“I don’t know.”
“That is not an answer.”
“I trusted him.”
Daniel looked toward the road Robert had taken.
“You trusted him with a house that belonged to someone else.”
Vanessa stepped closer.
“And you didn’t?”
Daniel flinched.
She was right.
He had believed the house was his because he wanted it to be.
Vanessa lowered her voice.
“You told me Margaret would never sell. You said she would always forgive you.”
Margaret saw the truth pass across Daniel’s face.
Vanessa had built her plan on his certainty that his mother’s love had no limit.
Daniel picked up the storage receipt.
“She forgave me many times.”
May you like
He looked at Margaret.
“That doesn’t mean she had to keep paying for my mistakes.”
