Chapter 5 - The Brochure
Claire recovered quickly.
“We looked at schools.”
Daniel’s expression remained still.
“What schools?”
“Specialized programs.”
“Residential?”
“Some have residential options.”
Rebecca stood.
“He’s seven.”
Claire snapped.
“And you don’t raise him.”
The words landed harder than Claire intended.
Ethan looked between the adults.
Rebecca lowered her voice.
“No. I don’t. Daniel does.”
Nobody said anything.
Because all four adults in the room knew that was not entirely true.
Daniel worked fifty to sixty hours a week.
Claire handled much of Ethan’s daily routine.
She resented it.
Rebecca criticized it.
Daniel avoided acknowledging either fact.
Claire folded her arms.
“I am the one who gets called when school goes badly. I’m the one who sits through therapy. I’m the one who handles meltdowns.”
“He doesn’t have ‘meltdowns’ every day,” Rebecca said.
“No, Rebecca. Sometimes he screams. Sometimes he throws things.”
Ethan’s eyes lowered.
Daniel noticed.
“Stop.”
Claire gestured toward him.
“This is exactly why we can’t talk honestly.”
“Not in front of him.”
“He understands more than you think,” Rebecca said.
Claire laughed bitterly.
“Oh, now you care what he understands?”
Rebecca stepped toward her.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel moved between them.
“Enough.”
Ethan covered his ears.
Noah appeared at the stairs.
“Mom?”
Everyone stopped.
Claire immediately softened.
“Go upstairs, sweetheart.”
Noah did not move.
Rebecca looked at Daniel.
“This family has a serious problem.”
Daniel stared at the floor.
“I know.”
Claire’s face tightened.
But Daniel continued.
“And I should have addressed it before now.”
For the first time, fear appeared in Claire’s expression.
Later that afternoon, Daniel searched the home office.
He found three brochures.
Two were day schools.
The third was a residential facility in Connecticut.
North Pines Center for Developmental Independence
Annual cost:
$218,000.
Daniel sat back.
A sticky note was attached.
TRUST CAN COVER? Ask Naomi.
Claire entered.
“You’re going through my desk?”
“This is my office.”
“Our office.”
Daniel held up the brochure.
“When did this become a plan?”
“It didn’t.”
“Then why did Mark know?”
Claire froze.
Daniel saw it.
“Rebecca told me Mark contacted Naomi.”
Claire swallowed.
“I mentioned it to him.”
“Why?”
“He understands finances.”
“He’s my CFO.”
“And our friend.”
“Why are you discussing Ethan’s trust with him?”
Claire’s voice sharpened.
“Because you refuse to discuss anything difficult.”
Daniel stood.
“No. Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Turn this into my failure to communicate.”
Claire laughed.
“You disappear into work whenever life becomes uncomfortable.”
“That does not give you permission to plan my son’s removal.”
“Our son.”
Daniel stared.
Claire’s voice dropped.
“I have taken care of him for three years.”
“And yesterday you made him eat alone.”
“He was overstimulated.”
“He told Rebecca he wanted to stay.”
Claire stopped.
Daniel had not known that.
He continued.
“You made the decision for him.”
“I was managing a party.”
“You embarrassed him.”
“He barely understood what happened.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
There it was.
The sentence Claire wished she could pull back.
“He understood.”
“I didn’t mean—”
“He understood enough to become sad.”
“Daniel—”
“He understood enough to tell Rebecca he wanted to sit at the table.”
Claire reached for him.
He stepped away.
That movement frightened her more than yelling would have.
Daniel picked up the brochure.
“I’m calling Naomi.”
Claire followed.
“To say what?”
“To tell her no trust transaction happens without me understanding every detail.”
Panic rose behind Claire’s eyes.
She thought of Mark.
Eight point four million.
The documents she had emailed.
The estimates.
The messages.
“Daniel.”
He looked back.
“What?”
She almost confessed.
The words reached her throat.
Then her phone vibrated.
One message.
MARK: Do not let him call Naomi until we talk.
Claire turned the screen over.
Daniel noticed.
“Who is it?”
“Nobody.”
He stared at her.
For the first time since they married, Daniel did not believe her.
He walked out.
Ten minutes later, Naomi answered his call.
“Daniel.”
“I need you to freeze anything involving Ethan’s trust.”
Naomi was silent.
Then she said, “I already did.”
Daniel frowned.
“Why?”
“Because yesterday someone submitted a preliminary authorization request bearing your electronic signature.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
“I didn’t sign anything.”
May you like
Naomi’s voice became very quiet.
“I was afraid you might say that.”
