Chapter 16 - The Father Lauren Lost
Richard’s relationship with Lauren collapsed completely after the hearing.
He stopped paying her legal expenses.
Then denied he ever had.
Lauren’s lawsuit with Hale Development became uglier.
Discovery revealed internal emails in which Richard referred to Lauren as “our path inside Bennett.”
Charles read that sentence twice.
Lauren had been both participant and instrument.
Again, both truths.
Diane Hale, Lauren’s mother, finally left Richard.
Not permanently at first.
She moved into a hotel.
Then an apartment.
She contacted Lauren.
Mother and daughter had not spoken honestly in years.
Emma told Charles only what Lauren authorized her to share.
Richard controlled family finances.
Diane knew Cedar Ridge was in trouble.
She did not know about the forged Bennett documents.
She did know Richard pressured Lauren to “secure the marriage.”
That phrase disgusted Charles.
Marriage as acquisition.
Diane also revealed something else.
Richard had contributed nearly $180,000 toward the wedding.
Charles had believed it was generosity.
It was budgeted internally to Cedar Ridge as relationship development expense.
Sarah stared at the accounting record.
“You cannot make this up.”
Charles felt sick.
His wedding had apparently been considered a business expense.
“Is that legal?”
“Depends how it was treated for tax and company accounting purposes. That’s someone else’s problem.”
Charles liked hearing that.
Someone else’s problem.
He was learning the phrase.
Lauren requested another meeting.
Charles almost refused.
Then she said it concerned wedding expenses.
They met with attorneys.
Lauren brought a cashier’s check.
$41,700.
“What is this?” Charles asked.
“My share of refunds and money from selling things.”
“For what?”
“Your wedding expenses.”
Charles frowned.
They had split costs unevenly.
Richard paid much.
Charles paid deposits on catering, photography and travel.
“I don’t want this.”
“You lost money because of me.”
“The wedding stopped because of both of us.”
Lauren looked confused.
“What did you do?”
“I ignored things.”
“That doesn’t make you responsible for my choices.”
Charles almost smiled.
“You’ve been talking to Ruth.”
Lauren actually smiled.
“Once.”
He pushed the check back.
“Keep it for legal bills.”
“I don’t want money to be another thing I owe you.”
“You don’t owe me wedding reimbursement.”
“I think I do.”
Sarah looked amused.
“Would either of you like legal advice, or should I get coffee?”
Charles and Lauren stopped.
Eventually they agreed refunds would be calculated precisely.
Lauren would reimburse only clearly attributable losses caused by her misconduct—not half the entire wedding.
It was painfully practical.
That was good.
At the end Lauren asked Charles one question.
“Did you mean it?”
“What?”
“When you said you’d probably forgive me someday.”
Charles thought.
“Yes.”
“Have you?”
“Some parts.”
She nodded.
“Which?”
“The insult.”
Lauren looked surprised.
“So quickly?”
“My mother already did.”
“I thought forgiveness couldn’t be outsourced.”
Charles smiled.
“It can’t. She just made it harder to stay angry.”
Lauren looked down.
“And the rest?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Fair.”
She stood.
At the door she turned.
“I used to think losing you was the worst thing that could happen.”
Charles said nothing.
“Now I think becoming my father would have been worse.”
Charles looked at her carefully.
“You aren’t him.”
“No.”
“Don’t use that as an excuse either.”
Lauren nodded.
“I won’t.”
She left.
Charles realized he believed her.
Not enough to marry her.
Not enough to trust her with his property.
But enough to hope she meant it.
May you like
Sometimes hope could exist without reconciliation.
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