Chapter 4 - The Papers on Margaret's Table
Saturday morning arrived cold and bright.
Claire had already packed an overnight bag and hidden it in the trunk of her car.
Her plan was simple.
She would go to Margaret's house.
She would see what Daniel wanted.
She would leave.
Then she would drive directly to Rachel's apartment.
Instead Daniel took her car keys.
He did it casually.
Claire was standing in the foyer putting on her shoes when he reached into the bowl beside the door.
"I'll drive."
"I can drive myself."
"We're going to the same place."
"I might leave early."
Daniel smiled.
"Why would you do that?"
Claire looked at him.
"Give me my keys."
"Claire."
"Give them to me."
His smile disappeared.
"We don't need another scene."
"What scene?"
Daniel stepped closer.
"The kind where you make everyone uncomfortable."
Claire took out her phone.
"I'll call a ride."
Daniel's eyes dropped to the phone.
For half a second, his expression changed.
Then he relaxed.
"Fine."
But when Claire attempted to unlock the screen, it went black.
Battery dead.
Impossible.
She had charged it overnight.
Daniel saw her confusion.
"Problem?"
Claire looked at him.
He had done something.
She did not know what.
At Margaret's house, Diane was already there.
That was when Claire almost turned around.
Margaret opened the front door.
"Come in."
Claire remained on the porch.
"No."
Daniel stood behind her.
"Claire."
She looked at Diane.
"Why are you here?"
Diane clasped her hands.
"To help."
Claire stepped backward.
Daniel caught her elbow.
Not violently.
Just firmly enough.
"Stop."
Claire pulled away.
"Don't touch me."
Margaret glanced toward the neighboring houses.
"Get inside before someone sees you behaving like this."
Claire understood.
Everything was about appearances.
She stepped inside because she wanted witnesses nearby.
The first thing she noticed was the thick document packet on the dining room table.
Beside it sat a pen.
Margaret pointed toward the chair.
"Sit."
Claire stayed standing.
"What is it?"
Daniel removed his coat.
"Paperwork."
"What paperwork?"
Margaret answered.
"The paperwork you should have signed a week ago."
"I haven't been given any paperwork."
"We tried."
"No, you talked about paperwork. You never showed it to me."
Daniel pulled out the chair.
"Sit down."
Claire looked toward Diane.
Her mother would not meet her eyes.
Claire walked to the table.
She opened the packet.
The first pages involved the family trust.
She skimmed quickly.
Waiver of marital claim.
Transfer consent.
Release of future interest.
Then she reached the psychiatric documents.
Claire looked up.
"What is this?"
Daniel sat across from her.
"It's precautionary."
"For what?"
"If you become overwhelmed."
Claire stared at him.
"Overwhelmed?"
Margaret folded her arms.
"You've been unstable."
Claire looked at Diane.
Diane's face was pale.
"Did you tell them that?"
Diane whispered.
"You've been under a lot of stress."
Claire pushed the packet away.
"I'm leaving."
Daniel stood.
"No."
Claire froze.
He immediately softened the word.
"I mean, not until we finish talking."
"We're finished."
Claire moved toward the foyer.
Margaret stepped into her path.
"After everything our family has done for you?"
Claire stared at her.
"What exactly have you done for me today?"
Margaret's jaw tightened.
"You could destroy Daniel's future out of spite."
"His future with Vanessa?"
Silence.
Daniel's face changed.
Diane whispered Claire's name.
Claire smiled without humor.
"So we're finally saying her name."
Margaret spoke first.
"Vanessa has nothing to do with this."
"She has everything to do with this."
Daniel approached.
"We were going to tell you."
"When?"
"After the financial issues were settled."
"You mean after I signed away my rights."
"You're twisting it."
Claire laughed.
"No, Daniel. For the first time I'm not twisting anything to make you look better."
She tried to walk past him.
Daniel caught her wrist.
Claire jerked free.
"Touch me again and I scream."
Margaret moved toward the windows and pulled the curtains closed.
That was the moment Claire understood she had made a mistake coming inside.
She turned toward the front door.
Diane blocked it.
Claire stared at her mother.
"Move."
Diane shook her head.
"Please just sign."
Claire felt colder than she had outside.
"Mom."
"It will end all this."
"No. It will give them what they want."
"Then you can leave Daniel and start over."
Claire stared at her.
"You knew."
Diane began crying.
"I thought it would be easier."
"For who?"
Diane did not answer.
Claire looked at all three of them.
Then she slowly walked back to the table.
Daniel visibly relaxed.
Claire picked up the pen.
Margaret pushed the documents toward her.
Claire looked at the signature line.
Then she broke the pen in half.
Ink splattered across the first page.
Margaret gasped.
Daniel stood so quickly his chair fell backward.
Claire dropped the broken pieces.
May you like
"I'm not signing a damn thing."
For the first time, Daniel stopped pretending to be patient.
