Chapter 8 - Linda Bennett Finally Calls
At seven forty-two that evening, Claire’s mother called.
By then, most guests had been told there was a family emergency.
Some stayed.
Many left reluctantly.
The music had stopped.
The wedding cake remained uncut.
Claire stood alone on the terrace when Linda’s name appeared.
She answered immediately.
“Mom.”
No response.
“Mom?”
Linda whispered, “Is your father there?”
Claire straightened.
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Who’s with you?”
“Ethan. Margaret. Charles.”
Linda inhaled sharply.
“Margaret?”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Then Linda began crying.
Claire had heard her mother cry perhaps five times in thirty-one years.
Linda Bennett believed tears should happen privately.
“Mom, where are you?”
“At home.”
“Is Dad there?”
“No.”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“No.”
“Then what happened?”
Linda’s breathing shook.
“He knows.”
“Knows what?”
“That I opened the safe.”
Claire gripped the railing.
“What safe?”
“His office.”
“Why?”
“Because after he called you, he started packing.”
“When?”
“About an hour ago.”
“Packing what?”
“Passports. Cash. Files.”
Claire turned.
Ethan was watching through the glass doors.
She motioned for him.
“What did you find?”
Linda lowered her voice further.
“Letters.”
“What letters?”
“To you.”
Claire stopped.
“From who?”
“Your grandmother.”
The world seemed to contract around the phone.
“How many?”
“I don’t know. Twenty. Maybe more.”
Claire’s throat closed.
“Why did Dad have them?”
“He intercepted them.”
Linda sobbed.
“I didn’t know, Claire.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“When were they written?”
“After the funeral.”
Claire’s knees weakened.
For years, her grandmother had been alive.
Writing to her.
Trying to reach her.
And Robert had kept every letter.
“I’m coming there.”
“No!”
Claire froze.
Linda’s panic was immediate.
“Do not come here.”
“Why?”
“Your father took a gun.”
Ethan heard that.
His posture changed.
Claire said, “Mom, leave the house.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“He took my car keys.”
“Call the police.”
“I did.”
“Are they coming?”
“I hung up.”
“What?”
“He has people in the department.”
“Mom, this isn’t twenty years ago. Call again.”
“I’m scared.”
Claire shut her eyes.
The child inside her wanted to comfort Linda.
The adult remembered the empty chair.
“You knew I was getting married today.”
Linda became silent.
“You knew Dad sent that message.”
“Yes.”
“You stayed home.”
“Yes.”
“You helped him punish me.”
“I thought you would call.”
“And do what?”
“Apologize.”
Claire laughed softly.
“For marrying Ethan?”
“For everything.”
“What everything?”
Linda did not answer.
Claire’s anger returned.
“All these years, Mom, what exactly did I do?”
“You challenged him.”
“I grew up.”
“You left.”
“I was twenty-four.”
“You stopped needing us.”
“That is not betrayal.”
“To your father it was.”
“And to you?”
Silence.
Claire whispered, “To you?”
Linda began crying again.
“I don’t know anymore.”
A sound came through the phone.
A door.
Linda stopped breathing.
“Mom?”
Nothing.
“Mom!”
May you like
Linda whispered, “He’s back.”
The call disconnected.
