Chương 5
Natalie hesitated.
“He told me two years ago that marrying a woman with a child meant you were volunteering to finish another man’s job.”
Daniel’s head jerked up.
“What?”
“It was at your mother’s birthday dinner. You were parking the car.”
“And you never told me?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew what you would do.”
“What would I do?”
“Exactly this.”
She gestured between them.
“You would get furious, then you would confront him, then he would say he was joking, then your mother would ask everyone to calm down, and two weeks later I would be the person who caused the family fight.”
Daniel stared at her.
“That’s not fair.”
“It’s what happened the first time.”
“The first time what?”
“When he called Lily ‘your little obligation.’”
Daniel’s face changed again.
“You told me he said ‘responsibility.’”
“He corrected himself after you walked back into the room.”
Daniel sat very still.
Natalie felt no satisfaction.
For years she had imagined that telling him the complete list would feel like opening windows.
Instead it felt like emptying garbage onto the floor and asking him to identify the smell.
“I’m not proud of hiding things from you,” she said.
“That’s becoming a long list tonight.”
“Yes.”
He looked at her.
“I left.”
“What?”
“Dad’s house. I packed a bag and left.”
“I thought you said he was packing.”
“He was. Then he stopped.”
“Why?”
“He said the deed wouldn’t stand.”
“It will.”
“Maybe. I don’t know.”
“It will.”
Daniel laughed without humor.
“You sound exactly like him when you do that.”
The words landed cleanly.
Natalie did not defend herself.
From the hallway came a creak.
Both turned.
Lily stood at the corner holding a stuffed rabbit by one ear.
Daniel stood.
“Hey, bug.”
She looked at him.
“Are you mad?”
“No.”
“At Mommy?”
Daniel glanced at Natalie.
“A little.”
Lily considered this.
“Grandpa was mad.”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to throw food?”
Daniel’s face collapsed.
He crouched immediately.
“No. Never. I’m not going to throw anything.”
“Not cake?”
“Not cake.”
“Not carrots?”
“Not carrots.”
“Mommy throws socks.”
Natalie blinked.
Daniel looked at her.
Against every reasonable expectation, he laughed.
Natalie covered her face.
“I toss them into the laundry basket.”
Lily nodded seriously.
“She misses.”
Daniel laughed harder.
It lasted only a few seconds.
The laughter did not fix anything.
That was why it helped.
Lily walked toward him.
Daniel stayed crouched and did not reach for her.
After a moment, she put her rabbit against his knee.
“Bunny can sleep with you.”
Daniel swallowed.
“That would be nice.”
“You can sleep here.”
“If Mommy says.”
Lily looked at Natalie.
Natalie hesitated.
Daniel saw it.
So did Lily.
Finally Natalie said, “He can sleep here.”
Lily nodded as if settling a business matter and returned to her room.
Daniel remained crouched for another second.
When he stood, his eyes were wet.
He wiped them before speaking.
“Three seconds?”
Natalie looked at him.
“That’s all it took?”
“That’s all it took.”
At nine the next morning, Richard’s attorney called Natalie.
His name was Harold Stein, and he sounded weary before she finished saying hello.
“Mrs. Mercer, I’m calling regarding the Hawthorne Avenue property.”
“I assumed.”
“Richard has concerns about the transaction.”
“He can have them.”
“He’s alleging material nondisclosure.”
“Of what?”
“Your identity.”
“That was disclosed at closing.”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“Which I have explained.”
Natalie sat at her small desk beside the living-room window. Lily was on the floor behind her arranging plastic animals in a circle. Daniel had left early to meet his mother.
Harold cleared his throat.
“There are also concerns about whether he was pressured by his broker to sign without adequate review.”
“That sounds like an issue between him and his broker.”
Another pause.
“I agree.”
Natalie blinked.
She had expected combat.
Harold continued.
“I am not calling to threaten litigation.”
“What are you calling for?”
“To avoid something stupider.”
Natalie almost smiled.
“Go on.”
“Richard is angry. Angry people with money sometimes confuse having options with having good options.”
“That sounds expensive.”
“It usually is.”
He told her the closing documents were valid on their face. Richard had signed the deed voluntarily in the presence of a notary after receiving the final buyer disclosures. The title company had confirmed the wire. There had been no known misrepresentation about price, property condition, financing, or buyer qualification.
Richard could sue.
Anybody could sue.
Winning was another matter.
“What does he want?” Natalie asked.
Harold exhaled.
“To remain in the house for sixty days.”
“No.”
“Thirty.”
“No.”
“A week.”
“Why?”
“He has nowhere he considers acceptable to go.”
“That is not the same as nowhere to go.”
“I know.”
Natalie looked at Lily.
The child had placed a plastic horse outside the circle.
“Grandpa can stay at a hotel,” Lily said without looking up.
Natalie stared at her.
Harold’s voice came through the phone.
“Was that—”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Fair enough.”
Natalie stood and walked toward the kitchen.
“I’m willing to give him until tomorrow at six to remove personal essentials. The moving company can coordinate the rest over the next two weeks with the property manager. He does not stay overnight.”
“Richard will reject that.”
“Then the property manager can supervise his access.”
Harold was silent.
Natalie added, “Elaine can remain as long as she needs.”
“That complicates things.”
“It’s my house.”
“Yes,” Harold said. “I suspect Richard is still adjusting to that sentence.”
After the call, Natalie found Lily pushing the plastic horse beneath the sofa.
“Why is that one over there?”
“He was mean.”
“To who?”
“The cow.”
“What did he do?”
“He said she was not a horse.”
Natalie sat on the floor.
“Well, she isn’t.”
Lily gave her a deeply unimpressed look.
“She knows.”
“Oh.”
Natalie picked up the horse.
“Can he come back?”
“Maybe later.”
“What does he have to do?”
Lily shrugged.
“Say sorry.”
It sounded easy when she said it.
May you like
At noon, Daniel called.
“Mom wants to see you.”
