“I don't know.”
“Is Grandma?”
“I don't know.”
“Are we poor?”
Claire almost laughed.
“We were poor this morning.”
Lily smiled weakly.
Claire kissed her hair.
“We’re going home.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
“What about the cake?”
Claire laughed.
A real laugh.
For the first time that evening.
“We can steal some cake.”
Lily’s eyes widened.
“Is that stealing?”
“Technically.”
“Mom.”
“Fine.”
“We’ll ask.”
They left Rosewood Estate shortly after midnight carrying one legally acquired box of wedding cake.
Graham remained with detectives.
Vanessa remained with counsel.
Evelyn tried to follow Claire into the parking lot.
“Claire.”
Claire kept walking.
Her mother hurried behind.
“Please.”
Claire stopped beside her ten-year-old Honda.
Lily climbed inside.
Evelyn stood beneath the parking lights in her silver gown.
Without the ballroom, chandeliers, and pearls reflecting around her, she looked older.
“Can we talk?”
“No.”
“Claire.”
“Not tonight.”
“I made mistakes.”
“Yes.”
“I was trying—”
“No.”
Evelyn stopped.
Claire looked at her mother.
“Do not explain yourself tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because every explanation you have given me since childhood ends with me being asked to understand why hurting me was reasonable.”
Evelyn’s face crumpled.
“I love you.”
Claire felt tears rise.
She hated that those words still mattered.
“I know.”
Her mother looked surprised.
Claire continued:
“That’s what makes this so difficult.”
“You loved me.”
“And still decided I could be lied to.”
“You loved Lily.”
“And watched Vanessa take her money.”
“I didn't know how much—”
“You knew enough.”
Evelyn looked down.
Claire opened the car door.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“Can I call tomorrow?”
“No.”
“When?”
“I’ll call you when I want to.”
Evelyn stared.
Claire had never said that before.
Not once.
Then Claire got into the car.
She drove away.
Lily fell asleep before they reached the highway.
Claire cried the entire way home.
Quietly.
So her daughter would not wake.
The next morning began with a knock.
Claire expected reporters.
The story had already leaked.
NEWPORT WEDDING HALTED BY CHILD’S VIDEO.
SOCIALITE BRIDE ACCUSED OF FAMILY TRUST THEFT.
LAWYER GROOM ENDS CEREMONY AFTER SHOCK RECORDING.
Claire ignored her phone.
The knock came again.
She checked through the peephole.
Graham.
Still in yesterday’s trousers.
No tuxedo jacket.
White shirt wrinkled.
He held a cardboard file box.
Claire opened the door only halfway.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I need to give you something.”
Claire looked toward the box.
“What?”
“Things Vanessa stored at my condo.”
Her stomach tightened.
“Why would I want them?”
“Because some have your name.”
She opened the door.
Graham entered.
Lily was still sleeping.
Claire made coffee.
He did not drink it.
Instead he opened the box.