Chapter 5 - The Folder)
Claire downloaded the video.
Then she downloaded it again.
She emailed one copy to herself.
One to Rachel.
One to a new cloud account Daniel did not know existed.
Her hands shook so badly that she entered the password incorrectly twice.
Beside her, Lily slept in the bassinet.
Claire looked at the baby.
For the first time, fear replaced anger.
Daniel was not throwing away milk because he believed Margaret knew better.
He was creating a situation.
Lily hungry.
Claire exhausted.
Claire crying.
Claire confused.
Then someone would point to the chaos and say Claire could not cope.
But why?
Claire returned to the laptop.
The video history contained three additional clips showing Daniel removing bottles.
She downloaded every one.
Then she searched the computer.
Nothing obvious.
She opened recently accessed files.
Invoices.
Work documents.
Photos.
Then a folder appeared.
FAMILY.
Claire clicked it.
Inside were subfolders.
HOUSE.
LILY.
CLAIRE.
She stared at her own name.
The CLAIRE folder contained seventeen files.
Several were videos.
Claire opened one.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed three nights after delivery.
Her hair was tangled.
She was crying.
Lily was crying.
Daniel's voice came from behind the camera.
"You're overwhelmed."
Claire heard herself answer.
"I'm tired, Daniel. Please stop filming me."
The clip ended there.
Not the next minute, when Lily calmed against her chest.
Not the moment Claire laughed weakly because the baby sneezed.
Not Daniel admitting he had woken Claire ten minutes earlier to complain about dirty pump parts.
Just Claire crying.
She opened another.
Claire standing in the kitchen.
"I haven't slept."
Another.
"I can't do this if nobody helps me."
Another.
"Please give me the baby."
Each clip was short.
Selective.
Ugly without context.
Claire opened a document.
NOTES REGARDING POSTPARTUM CONCERNS.
The author listed dates.
Claire crying.
Claire forgetting to eat lunch.
Claire refusing Margaret's help.
Claire locking the bedroom door.
Claire accusing family members of moving breast milk.
Claire felt nauseated.
The milk they had actually removed.
Another document was a draft email to someone named Martin Kessler.
Claire recognized the name.
Margaret's attorney.
She opened it.
Martin,
Daniel and I remain concerned that Claire's behavior is deteriorating. We believe it may become necessary to establish a temporary caregiving arrangement for Lily if Claire refuses evaluation.
Claire stopped reading.
She sat completely still.
Temporary caregiving arrangement.
She opened another file.
A scanned form.
Daniel had filled out Lily's information.
Margaret's address appeared under Proposed Temporary Caregiver.
Claire pressed a hand against her mouth.
A floorboard creaked.
She closed the laptop instantly.
Daniel appeared in the doorway.
"What are you doing?"
Claire forced herself to breathe.
"Couldn't sleep."
Daniel glanced at the laptop.
"Working?"
"Looking at pictures."
He approached.
Claire closed the screen.
Daniel stopped.
They looked at each other.
"Let me see."
Claire smiled faintly.
"Why?"
"Because you're acting weird."
"I'm tired."
Daniel reached toward the laptop.
Lily stirred.
Claire used the movement immediately.
"She's waking up."
She stood and lifted her daughter.
Daniel's attention shifted.
"What time did she eat?"
Claire looked at him.
"Why?"
"I'm asking."
"Twenty minutes ago."
Daniel frowned.
"She's eating too often."
Claire felt rage rise inside her.
She pushed it down.
"Maybe."
Daniel relaxed slightly.
"See? You're starting to understand."
Claire nodded.
"Maybe your mom's right."
Daniel looked surprised.
Then pleased.
"She usually is."
Claire nearly hated herself for saying it.
But she needed him comfortable.
She needed time.
The next morning, Claire called Rachel while Daniel showered.
"I need somewhere safe to keep files."
"I have everything you sent."
"There's more."
Claire told her about the folder.
The videos.
The notes.
The draft caregiving form.
Rachel went silent.
Then she said, "Claire, take Lily and leave."
"I can't yet."
"Why?"
"Because Daniel controls the joint account."
"Come to my house."
"He'll come there."
"Then we call the police."
"And say what? My husband threw away milk?"
Rachel hesitated.
Claire continued.
"I need Lily examined. I need a doctor to document what is happening. And I need to know how far they've gone."
"You already know enough."
"I know they're building a case."
Rachel lowered her voice.
"Then stop helping them build it."
Claire closed her eyes.
Rachel was right.
That afternoon Claire called Dr. Moore.
The receptionist sounded confused.
"Mrs. Bennett, we have you scheduled for next Thursday."
"I asked for an earlier appointment yesterday."
"That was canceled."
Claire's chest tightened.
"By who?"
There was a pause.
"Your husband called this morning."
Claire looked across the kitchen.
Daniel was standing in the backyard speaking on his phone.
"Did he say why?"
"He said the baby was doing much better and that you agreed."
Claire stared at him through the window.
"I didn't."
Another pause.
"Mrs. Bennett, would you like me to schedule you for tomorrow morning?"
"Yes."
"Nine fifteen?"
"Yes."
"I'll note that only you can cancel."
"Thank you."
Claire ended the call.
Daniel turned toward the house.
Their eyes met through the glass.
He smiled.
Claire smiled back.
Then Daniel looked at his phone.
A message appeared.
His smile vanished.
Claire's own phone vibrated one second later.
Unknown number.
She opened the message.
You should be careful who you involve in private family matters.
Claire read it twice.
Then another message arrived.
Margaret only wants what is best for Lily.
Claire's throat tightened.
A third message appeared.
Do not make this harder than it needs to be.
Claire looked through the window again.
Daniel was no longer smiling.
May you like
And she understood.
He had never stopped watching.
