Chapter 7 - The Grudge Claire Never BuriedDaniel spent three days resisting the urge to investigate Claire’s statement. He told himself it did not matter why she hated Sarah. Motive might explain behavior, but it could never excuse what she had done to Emily. Still, the sentence followed him through his routines.
Sarah took something from her.
Claire had known Sarah since high school.
They were never close, but they were not enemies either.
At least that was what Daniel believed.
Rachel knew more.
When he asked, she became uncomfortable.
“There was something in college.”
“What?”
Rachel stared at her coffee.
“Claire liked someone.”
Daniel waited.
“A guy named Evan.”
The name was vaguely familiar.
“Evan Blake?”
Rachel nodded.
“He and Claire dated?”
“No.”
Daniel frowned.
“She wanted them to.”
Rachel explained.
Claire had spent almost a year convinced Evan would eventually choose her. He was part of the same extended friend group. Claire interpreted every late-night conversation and shared joke as evidence.
Then Sarah met Evan.
Daniel’s stomach tightened.
“Sarah dated him?”
“For about three months.”
He stared.
Sarah had never mentioned it.
Rachel saw his expression.
“It was years before you.”
“What happened?”
“Sarah ended it.”
“Why?”
“He wanted to move to California. She didn’t.”
Daniel leaned back.
“How does that become Sarah stealing something from Claire?”
Rachel gave him a sad look.
“Because Claire never believed Evan was hers to lose.”
The pieces shifted.
“What happened when Sarah and I started dating?”
“Claire acted supportive.”
“Acted?”
“She told me once that Sarah always got everything.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“Sarah grew up with nothing.”
“I know.”
Sarah’s mother worked two jobs. Sarah paid her own way through college.
Claire grew up in a large house with every advantage.
But resentment rarely respected facts.
Rachel continued.
“When you proposed, Claire was furious.”
Daniel stared.
“She helped Sarah choose flowers.”
“After three days of refusing your mother’s calls.”
Daniel had no memory of that.
Because nobody told him.
Peace again.
Family silence again.
“What else don’t I know?”
Rachel sighed.
“At your wedding, Claire got drunk.”
Daniel remembered.
“She cried because Mom had died the year before.”
“That’s what everybody told you.”
“What really happened?”
“She told Sarah she had ruined the family.”
Daniel’s pulse quickened.
“What did Sarah say?”
“She told Claire that loving you wasn’t an attack.”
Daniel looked away.
That sounded exactly like Sarah.
Rachel continued.
“Sarah asked everyone not to tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because she didn’t want your wedding memories poisoned.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Even then Sarah protected him.
Years later, when Sarah became ill, Claire helped often.
Perhaps guilt.
Perhaps love mixed with resentment.
Human beings were capable of holding contradictory emotions.
After Sarah died, Claire positioned herself closer to Daniel and Emily.
Not romantically.
But emotionally.
She wanted to become necessary.
Emily resisted.
She preferred memories of her mother.
Yellow flowers.
Old photographs.
Bedtime stories Daniel repeated because Sarah used to tell them.
Claire saw every memory as evidence that Sarah still occupied space she wanted.
The torn drawing suddenly made horrifying sense.
Daniel did not feel relief from understanding.
He felt sadness.
Claire had spent years competing with a dead woman.
And eventually she directed that bitterness toward the child who carried Sarah’s eyes.
A week later, Claire’s attorney requested a meeting.
Daniel initially refused.
Then his lawyer advised hearing the proposal without making commitments.
They met in a conference room.
Claire was not present.
Her attorney, Henry Walsh, placed a document on the table.
“My client is willing to accept responsibility.”
Daniel’s lawyer, Monica Reed, raised an eyebrow.
“Define responsibility.”
Walsh remained composed.
“She is considering a plea arrangement.”
Daniel said nothing.
“In exchange,” Walsh continued, “she would like Mr. Carter to support a sentence emphasizing treatment rather than incarceration.”
Daniel finally spoke.
“Why?”
“Because Claire has begun psychological counseling.”
“That’s good.”
Walsh paused.
“She recognizes longstanding emotional issues.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“Does she recognize what she did to my daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Did she tell you that?”
“Yes.”
“Then why isn’t she here?”
Walsh looked at Monica.
Daniel did not let him escape.
“Why isn’t Claire sitting here looking me in the face?”
“Direct contact may not be appropriate.”
“Correct.”
Daniel leaned back.
“Then don’t ask me to participate in her rehabilitation.”
Walsh’s expression tightened.
“She is your sister.”
Monica immediately looked at him.
Daniel raised one hand.
“It’s fine.”
He looked at Walsh.
“That sentence is the reason this went on as long as it did.”
Walsh frowned.
“Excuse me?”
“People keep telling me she’s my sister like that changes what happened.”
Daniel’s voice remained controlled.
“It doesn’t.”
The meeting ended.
Outside, Monica walked beside him toward the elevator.
“You handled that well.”
Daniel exhaled.
“I wanted to throw the table.”
“I know.”
He smiled faintly.
“That obvious?”
“To me.”
The elevator doors opened.
Monica stepped inside.
“Strength isn’t always doing the thing you want to do.”
Daniel thought of the party.
The kick.
The shove.
The moment rage took over.
He nodded.
“I’m learning.”
That evening Emily brought him a drawing.
It showed three people.
Daniel.
Emily.
Sarah.
All standing beneath yellow flowers.
Daniel swallowed.
“It’s beautiful.”
Emily pointed to a fourth figure near the edge.
Richard.
“Grandpa?”
She nodded.
“He said sorry.”
Daniel looked at her.
“When?”
“He called.”
Daniel had allowed supervised phone contact.
“What did he say?”
“That grown-ups can be wrong too.”
Daniel smiled.
Emily pointed to an empty space on the page.
“Do I have to put Aunt Claire?”
“No.”
“Ever?”
“No.”
Emily thought about that.
Then she picked up a crayon.
“Maybe someday if I want.”
Daniel’s chest tightened.
“Exactly.”
She added a small dog instead.
Daniel laughed.
“Good choice.”
That night, his phone rang.
Detective Brooks.
“The prosecutor has received a plea offer from Mark.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“What kind?”
“He’s willing to testify regarding planning before the party.”
Daniel stood.
“Against Claire?”
“Yes.”
Daniel stared into the dark hallway.
May you like
The alliance between Claire and Mark was breaking.
And whatever Mark knew, he was finally willing to trade it for his own future.
